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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22983313">Approaching Storms</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrionRedde/pseuds/OrionRedde'>OrionRedde</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyrstyne/pseuds/Shyrstyne'>Shyrstyne</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Heart Hotel Stands AU [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Grief, Reunions, Temporary Character Death, Trauma, background akusai, low key sorikai feels</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:54:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>45,850</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22983313</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrionRedde/pseuds/OrionRedde, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyrstyne/pseuds/Shyrstyne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sora wakes up with two new hearts. His day only gets more strange from there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Heart Hotel Stands AU [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1478012</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>299</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Sea-Salt Family Fics (KH)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Broken Mirrors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>holy <i>jiminy</i> this thing turned into a monster. it literally doubled the total length of everything i've written for this au so far. i'm so glad you've all waited so patiently, cause it's finally done and ready to be posted!! aaaaaaaaaa!!!!!</p><p>im definitely gonna take a week or two off writing now tho. this has eaten basically all my free time for months now XD</p><p>as per usual, updates will be on thursdays~</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sora stretches, yawns, and then wonders just what he’s looking at.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ven? Vani?” He calls but receives silence in turn. He can still feel them though, so they were likely asleep or not watching. Regardless, he doesn’t think he’ll get answers there right now, as to why he appears to be floating in some kind of… pod?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He reaches out a hand, and then the walls start to shift. They open up into a wide and equally white room with little else to furnish it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hops out, still confused, tugging at sleeves and leggings that seem much shorter than they did last night (?). The pod looks like a large flower, he notes absently as he walks around the stark white room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sora!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turns, and there are Donald and Goofy. He’s not sure why his heart leaps with relief and joy at seeing them but it does, and he gives in to the urge to leap towards them for an enthusiastic hug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They return the hug with equal enthusiasm. For some reason, it brings a wetness to his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you guys know where we are?” He asks when he finally leans back, nearly crouching to be on eye level with Donald now. How is he so much taller now?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh uh.” Goofy shakes his head. “It’s all very uh,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Suspicious.” Donald finishes with a glare not aimed at anyone in particular. Sora laughs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was gonna say strange, but that works too.” Goofy allows with his usual congeniality. “Gawrsh Sora, did you get bigger?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You noticed too, huh?” Sora tugs at the lapel of his jacket, which is rubbing awkwardly against his neck now and almost assuredly leaving red marks that will chafe later. At least here he doesn’t have to worry about sea water making it worse. Probably. He’s not actually sure about that now that he thinks about it, he has no idea what’s outside this strange white room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Donald nods. “You look like you got a growth spurt overnight!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Weird, I knew it could happen fast, but I didn’t think it could happen </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> fast. What’s the last thing you guys remember anyway?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hold that thought, Sora.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> And Sora starts, not expecting Ven’s voice to interrupt him mid-conversation. He holds up a hand to stall Goofy’s reply, and Goofy falls silent, waiting patiently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“We have a problem.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vanitas is awake first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Technically they didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to sleep while Sora had his memories put back in order, but it was easier to sleep away the interim rather than wait around in empty darkness for an undetermined length of time for things to be put right. So Ven and Vanitas had gone to sleep themselves, a little deeper than they usually would to account for the extended length Sora would be under. Both knew that even if they didn’t wake when Sora did, Sora would almost assuredly come looking for them if they failed to show.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Vanitas was always a light sleeper, and wakes to the slightest shudder of the heart stations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He blinks red eyes open and looks around. At first he sees nothing amiss, which does nothing but make him more suspicious. He floats down until his feet hit station once more, and walks to the edge, surveying Sora and Ven’s stations with a critical eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ven’s station is whole again he notices immediately, the hairline cracks that had formed when Sora had sacrificed himself had vanished as though they were never there. This is a good thing, Vanitas knows, his own station still sporting tiny paper thin fractures only visible if one was looking closely, but it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> strange that it happened so quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unless their nap wasn’t as quick as they’d thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ven floats above his station, asleep and utterly oblivious to Vanitas’ inspection, as well as whatever mysterious force had woken Vanitas.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora’s appears entirely normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least at first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He walks across the familiar glass, noting the picture below has changed just slightly (normal after significant events. If anything he had expected it to change more), and casts his gaze around. He’s not sure what he’s looking for, but he knows </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> woke him and refuses to give up on finding out what.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s more of a seventh sense then truly seeing it, but there’s a slight warp in the darkness just beyond Sora’s station, near Ventus’. He walks towards it with purpose, pausing at the edge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you’re there.” He calls out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing happens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He paces for a bit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won’t hurt you.” He tries again. “Sora won’t let me.” He smirks at his own dark humour.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He scowls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hears muttering, distant and frantic. He cocks his head, listening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knows panic when he hears it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Show yourself. Maybe I can-” He grimaces as the forces out the words, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>help.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Helping wasn’t really his modus operandi. Sora was a good kid who loved to help and that trait had a tendency to wear off on those around him, but Vanitas much preferred to stand guard and make sure no one took advantage of the situation while others went in and did the </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual</span>
  </em>
  <span> helping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was a cynic at heart, what could he say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But there’s a flash of colour and he thinks he sees the barest outline of another station in the darkness. It’s closer to Ven’s than he’d realised, Vanitas thinks, almost touching.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then it’s gone again, and Vanitas sighs in frustration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time for backup.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He speedwalks over to where Ven floats above his station, dead asleep, and tugs on the gray and white of his jacket sharply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wake up, idiot.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wha-?” Ventus mutters sleepily, rubbing grog from his eyes that doesn’t exist. He blinks at Vanitas. “Is Sora awake?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. Something happened and I’m trying to figure it out. Come on.” Vanitas wastes no time in tugging Ven across the station to where he’d been standing before. He gestures out across the dark.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s someone there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ven squints his eyes and purses his lips, searching. After a moment he blinks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, I hear-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like someone’s talking to themselves, right?” Vanitas finishes. Ven nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right there’s definitely someone there.” Ven takes a breath before calling out into the void. “Hey! It’s okay, we’re here to help!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The muttering grows louder for a brief few moments before fading again. Nothing else happens. Ven hums in consideration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to let us in if you don’t want, hearts are special like that, but could we see you, just so we know who we’re talking to? You can always make it so we can’t see you again if you want after. No pressure.” Ven continues, all cheery optimism. Vanitas rolls his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a long, long moment of silence, and then the station comes into view.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the-” Ven startles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy shit?” Vanitas barks a laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A boy sits in the centre.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A boy with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>stunning</span>
  </em>
  <span> resemblance to Ventus rests on his knees in the centre of his dias, hunched over what appear to be formless wisps of smoke. He’s wearing a black cloak with metal drawstrings that clink as he moves. He looks up at them with an expression that can only be interpreted as a glare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He hisses. The smoke drifts away slightly, but he notices quickly and he hunches over a little more, returning to muttering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you… okay?” Ven tries, suddenly uncertain. Vanitas can’t help a little smugness at Ven being so off-balance by the boy’s appearance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” The boy grits his teeth. “But Xi- Xion is- Xion. Xion. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Xion</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” The smoke drifts and wavers before returning to its position swirling around the boy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vanitas looks at Ven, who shrugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is Xion a person?” Ven tries. The boy nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s my best friend.” He gasps. “I killed her I didn’t want to kill her but she made me-!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ven looks distinctly uncomfortable. Vanitas’ expression grows unreadable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was holding them- them?? Her! I was holding her together but </span>
  <em>
    <span>DiZ stole my time</span>
  </em>
  <span> this is all that’s left I can’t forget I can’t forget her, she deserves to be remembered-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can help with that.” Ven whispers in the tone of a sudden realisation. “Van, we can probably help with that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vanitas doesn’t take his eyes off the strange boy. He watches the boys expression morph from the bitter anger into one of desperate hope for only the briefest of moments before closing off into a distrust he knows all too well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re hearts, we can’t forget.” Vanitas says. It’s quiet, but in the silence here sound carries, and he knows the boy heard him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They had to erase her from existence- from having </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> existed. It’s not her fault, she’s my best friend, please-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’d like to come in now.” Ven announces. The station before them, hues of orange and yellow, flashes distinctly. Ven settles on the strange boy’s right side, and Vanitas crouches on his left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Show us.” Ven coaches. “Focus on a memory, how it felt, anything will do. Tell us about her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’d have ice cream on the clocktower..” The boy starts, hands held aloft like maybe he could physically hold the smoke and keep it from drifting. “Me, Axel, and Xion-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He keeps talking, and as he talks his eyes slip closed, a nostalgic reverie despite the exhaustion in his face. Ven and Vanitas watch as the little memory window flickers into existence before them. It’s crystal clear except for an empty space that fuzzes and glitches sporadically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ven sees Axel and his heart clenches painfully, but now isn’t the time for that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What does she look like?” Vanitas asks. The fuzzing solidifies just barely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Black hair? Yeah, yeah she had black hair. Not spiky like mine, flat, dark blue eyes, they were almost purple.” The boy says. “The same height as me- Wait no, no she was a little shorter, she wore heels that made her the same height.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The image in the window solidifies a little more. The trio on the tower laugh at some unheard joke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s she like?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s… she’s so nice. She once-” The boy shakes his head. “Seashells? There were seashells. Did I..? She brought me seashells, when I fell asleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That does sound nice.” Ven assures. “What else?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vanitas leans closer, inspecting the memory playing on loop with an intensity that was almost intimidating in its focus.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Every detail you can manage.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gawrsh, there’s more people in your heart now?” Goofy says, concern in his tone. Donald puts hands on his hips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sora, you can’t keep doing this. We don’t know what’ll happen!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not doing it on purpose!” Sora protests. He hears Ven cough from inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Listen, Sora, we’ve got a lot to catch you up on, but this new heart needs a lot of help. Van is.. Really set on helping them actually.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? I’m glad.” Sora answers with a smile. Vanitas being the one to reach out.. It was rare, but when it did happen it never failed to bring a smile to Sora’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s.. really complicated. Something about a girl that had to be forgotten, and lost time stolen by some guy named DiZ. We’re helping but it’s going to be slow going. Are you going to be okay if we focus on that for a bit?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course!” Sora says with cheer, flexing one arm as if to prove it. He doesn’t let on just how shaky and out of it his body actually feels. “If they need help I'm all for it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Okay. Find the Riku’s and Naminé, you’ve forgotten what happened but they’re friends. They should be nearby.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then Ven retreats, leaving Sora blinking into the white of the pod room in utter confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The…. Riku’s….?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It turns out there is no one nearby, which leaves Sora, Donald and Goofy in something of a pickle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’re in some kind of abandoned mansion, deep in a forested area. It’s the perfect sort of tepid warm outside, and a distinct lack of annoying insects, which is always nice. Sora paces the courtyard for a bit before looking over to Donald and Goofy, who both shrug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t we head into town?” Goofy suggests “Maybe we’ll find more clues.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Town?” Sora asks. Goofy raises one hand to point above the treeline, where a thin wisp of chimney smoke just barely clears the trees. “Oh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But Ven said these other guys should be nearby.” Donald protests. “Maybe we should wait?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> been waiting.” Sora groans. “No one’s here. Maybe something changed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donald hums in discontent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How about this, we head into town and if we don’t find anything, we’ll come back, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine.” Donald agrees, though he’s clearly still not a fan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They run into some interesting people on their way through town. The one with all the books and the gray hair needs to pull it out of his face though, Sora thinks, he’d run into less people that way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had seemed somewhat flustered though, so Sora guesses he must just have had other things going on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hayner, Pence, and Olette set off a whole slew of emotions in Sora that he’s practiced enough to know are not his own. Grief, regret, loss. It weighs heavily on him, and he’s torn between wanting to leave to spare this new heart the pain, or staying to try and… fix it? Get some closure? He doesn’t know.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But when the blond boy, Hayner, gives Sora the cold shoulder, he’s possessed to reach out, the hurt in his heart too great to allow him to walk away so coldly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh,” Sora stutters, not having thought this through. “I’m sorry, I just.. Thought you were an old friend for a second. Sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hayner looks at him with an unreadable expression for a long, silent moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He says as he turns away. “Weird.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t have time to really think about that because then there’s news of King Mickey and all three of them are off running to find him, the first lead they’ve had. It leads them on a merry chase around the quaintly named Twilight Town, ending at the top of a Station Heights.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heartless appear, and then new monsters appear that Sora doesn’t recognize but apparently someone in his heart does. Sora’s knees shake, and he’s suddenly regretting not admitting to the weakness he’s felt since climbing out of the pod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He collapses, and is moments from desperately calling on his heartmates when something unexpected happens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two bodies jump into the fray, both dressed in deep black cloaks, and dispatch the monsters with the graceful ease of two used to working together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your Majesty!” Donald and Goofy cheer, easily recognizing the King’s distinctive silhouette. Sora’s gaze is on the other hooded figure however.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Riku..?” He tries to stand, but his knees buckle from under him again. Instead of ground though, two steady, strong hands grab him instead. He looks up into the so-familiar green eyes of his best friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not Riku.” Is the last thing Sora expects him to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s no time.” Mickey interrupts. “Take the train, it knows the way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But-” Donald doesn’t want to leave, but Mickey shakes his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You gotta go. Trust me, guys. Please?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donalds will crumbles at Mickey’s sincere entreaty. The boy who isn’t Riku helps Sora to his feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have the-?” Mickey asks. The silver haired boy nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do. I’ll be back soon, tell them not to do anything stupid without me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mickey gives him a thumbs up, and then leaps away, vanishing. The group moves inside the train station, and the boy leaves Sora to rest against a wall while he orders them tickets. Sora is almost twitching with how antsy he is to ask this supposedly-not-Riku so many questions, but he tries to wait patiently for the right time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The train whistles, and he starts to limp up the stairs. Donald and Goofy notice first, moving in to help him when he stumbles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He tries to deflect, but in truth he’s exhausted. He feels like every muscle in his body has completely wasted away on him. Riku… or rather, not-Riku, looks older too. What </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hayner, Pence, and Olette come running up just before they board. Not-Riku takes one look at them before ducking into the train, muttering that he’ll keep it from leaving without them. Sora turns to the three familiar and yet not faces.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora and Hayner stare awkwardly at each other. That feeling of grief from the unknown heart wells in him again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure we haven’t met?” It’s Pence who speaks up. Olette nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, you seem.. Really familiar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not me.” Sora says, cautiously. “But I think I know someone who did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh.” Hayner’s brows furrow, still staring hard at Sora’s face. He shakes his head. “Tell them to drop by some time, if you see them again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The grief reaches a crescendo, and Sora isn’t sure if the tears are the hearts, or his own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh!” Olette pulls out a handkerchief. “Are you okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I- I’m fine. I’ll do my best.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It doesn’t matter.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he hears the faintest whisper from the heart. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“They don’t remember.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sora!” Donald and Goofy are halfway boarded the train, and its engine rumbles ominously, obviously ready to depart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay safe, okay?” Hayner says. “I can’t help but feel like it’s important.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kinda like how we felt we had to come see you off.” Pence adds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A mystery for another day, I think. Goodbye, Sora.” Olette waves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora hops on the train with a wave of his own. The doors shut, and the train starts to move. Melancholy sweeps over him, and oh boy he really needs to talk to this new heart soon. He hasn’t had to deal with such strong outpours of emotion since he was young and Vanitas was still in the first stages of healing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’re hurting, whoever they are, they’re hurting a lot, and Sora’s own heart hurts at just how much pain they’re in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But first…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looks over at not-Riku.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I owe you an explanation, huh?” The other boy smirks, so very reminiscent of Riku that for a moment Sora forgets that apparently he isn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m… really confused.” Sora says. “You look older but you’re not Riku, I’ve got a whole new heart inside me all of a sudden, and I have the </span>
  <em>
    <span>worst</span>
  </em>
  <span> wedgie right now because nothing fits right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donald has the nerve to laugh at him, and Sora pouts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait- a new heart?” Not Riku says, turning Sora’s attention back to him. He looks.. Like he might throw up actually, Sora notes with concern.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. They’re really not doing very good, so Ven and Vani are helping them hold it together. I don’t know the details, but they’re hurting. A lot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not Riku looks away, shame and anger at war in his features.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He wasn’t supposed to have a…” he cuts himself off. “That’s probably our fault. It’s a long story, Sora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora looks around the otherwise empty train car.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve got time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me start at the beginning. My name is Haru, and I was created to be a replica of Riku..”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Thirteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The journey begins (again)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>oprah voice: and YOU get some guilt and YOU get some trauma and YOU get some guilt! Guilt for everybody!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sora sits heavily in the soft leather of the train car seat, digesting the story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So.. Where’s Riku then? </span>
  <em>
    <span>My</span>
  </em>
  <span> Riku.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t tell you that.” Haru answers promptly. Donald scowls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” The duck points accusingly. Haru shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because he made us promise not to. He’s… dealing with some stuff. Technically he tried to make us promise not to even tell you he was alive, but I made the executive decision to ignore that because it’s stupid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora sags.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna kick his butt later.” He mutters, and then sighs. “Thank you. At least I know he’s okay. Even if I need to kick him in the shins for taking Roxas’s life from him for my sake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You weren’t going to wake up otherwise, Sora.” Haru argues. “None of us liked it, but-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand why you did it.” Sora cuts him off. “I just wish it hadn’t needed to happen at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The grief weighing so deeply in his heart made a lot more sense now, and yet somehow he still felt like he was missing pieces. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> needed to get down to his heart stations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, here.” Haru reaches into one pocket and pulls out a small pouch that he hands to Sora. Sora automatically pulls it open and peeks inside, finding a small amount of munny, a slightly crumpled photo, and a small crystal blue ball inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was Roxas’, in the datascape.” Haru says. “We figured it’d be better for you to have it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora pulls the strings closed sharply on hearing who’s it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll hold onto it.” Sora says, deliberately enunciating the words. “Until I can give it back to Roxas.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Goofy says. “We’ll figure something out, and then everyone can live their own lives again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora looks out the windows at the galaxies of stars swirling by.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Think I’ve got time for a nap?” He asks. Haru shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll cover for ya.” Goofy says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re still recovering, after all.” Donald adds. “Can’t push too hard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks guys.” He says as he lies down, and is out like a light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He drops down onto the heart stations, and notices immediately the new one attached to his, just off to the side of Ventus’. It’s a little smaller than the others, but fully formed. Sora can’t quite make out some of the shapes in it though, like it’s shifting between different forms. He’s never seen that happen before, but he pushes it to the back of his mind for now, approaching the new station slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello? Can I come in?” He calls. He can see the vague outlines of people on the station, but nothing defined. He’s not welcome yet, clearly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unexpectedly, the response Sora gets is a sharp stab of </span>
  <em>
    <span>anger</span>
  </em>
  <span>, more felt than heard. He stumbles a little, caught off guard by the intensity of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” He tries again. “I know you’re hurting, and you don’t deserve it. Ven and Vani are helping, right? I want to help too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s then that the people on the station appear, and for a second Sora thinks he’s face to face with Ventus, except Ventus has never looked at him with such rage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sees Ven and Vanitas in the center of the new platform, little windows around them playing an assortment of memories, many of which seem fuzzy or incomplete. Dark wisps float around them. The new heart, Roxas? Stands at the edge of the platform, nearly toe to toe with Sora where he stands on his own station.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve done </span>
  <em>
    <span>enough</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” The boy snarls. “Leave me alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just want to-” Sora tries again. Roxas roars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“NO! You’re the reason we’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>here,</span>
  </em>
  <span> why any of this even </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened.</span>
  </em>
  <span> So leave! Us! Alone!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Roxas.” Vanitas calls, tone demanding and brokering no refusal. Roxas falters, and then retreats back to the little circle of memory windows. Ventus stands, and comes up to Sora, who isn’t sure what to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He.. He needs some time.” Ven starts. “He’s your nobody, so he was.. Forced to return. His friend, Xion- well it’s complicated, but she had to be destroyed so thoroughly no one was even allowed to remember her. He’s hurting really badly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not fair.” Sora whispers. “They shouldn’t have to give up everything like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ven shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. It’s not fair. But it’s why they’re here, so.. Try to give him a little space, okay? I think we’re making progress with his friend but someone has to keep an eye on what’s left of her pretty much constantly, so we’ll be switching off a lot I think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Sora nods. “I guess I should get back, Ri- I mean, Haru and the others are covering for me, but we’re supposed to be meeting someone so I shouldn’t take too long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” Ven laughs, and then turns towards where Vanitas is sitting with Roxas. “Hey, Vanitas! Haru picked your name!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m a man of taste.” Vanitas calls back without tearing his gaze from the memory window he’s scrutinizing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora blinks between them, confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll give you the full story tonight, I promise.” Ven claps Sora on the shoulder. “You should get going though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yen Sid seems very knowledgeable and wise… right up until he doesn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These nobodies, they may appear to have hearts, but it is merely a clever ruse. Do not be fooled.” The old man exposits, magic swirling around them as he calls up projections of the enemies they might face. Sora notes distantly that they’re wearing the same black coats that Haru and the King were wearing, but he has bigger things on his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But mine does, though.” Sora interrupts, and though Donald and Goofy try to hush him, he stands firm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That cannot be.” Yen Sid insists. Haru, leaning against the wall at the back of the room looks distinctly uncomfortable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw it. His name is Roxas and his heart is in mine right next to Ven and Vani’s. He cares about his friends so much it </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurts.</span>
  </em>
  <span> How can you say they don’t have hearts?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yen Sid closes his eyes and hums in thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps there are factors yet beyond my sight. Or perhaps yours is special, just by virtue of how he was born. We do not know. In any event, I still urge you to tread with caution.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Well duh.’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sora crosses his arms but does not speak it aloud, annoyed though he might be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master Yen Sid,” Haru speaks up. “I have some questions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are the replica.” Yen Sid replies, ignoring Haru’s words entirely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am.” Haru says, standing a little bit straighter under the elder’s imperious stare. “What of it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These are strange times indeed, it seems. Nobody’s with hearts, and puppets in my tower.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora jerks back, stunned by the old man’s callousness. Haru glares.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am not a puppet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mayhaps not, but certainly that was the purpose of your creation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he’s more than that now.” Sora protests. “Whatever happened before, he’s here to help us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald and Goofy both exchange worried glances, their instincts on red alert to show deference to the old master, but knowing in their hearts that Sora is right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how do you know, Sora?” Yen Sid asks, saying each word with deliberate slowness. Haru shakes his head and scoffs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought maybe you could help us, but I see now I was wrong.” Haru says, turning to leave. “I don’t trust anything you have to say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door shuts with an echoing slam. Yen Sid sighs, and Sora’s frown widens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora looks at him, where the old man clearly expects him to approach once more, and then he looks at the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sora?” Goofy asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora casts one last hard glare at Yet Sid before walking out the door without another moment's hesitation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The towers winding staircases seem even more confusing now, but he finds his way to the bottom eventually, and finds Haru sitting in the one semi-dark place in the whole tower, in the nook beneath where the stairs curve upwards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Sora asks, leaning down to see the other boy better. Haru tips his head back to rest against the wall and sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine. DiZ is worse. I’m used to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t have to be.” Sora protests. “Who says stuff like that? It’s so rude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haru lets out a surprised chuckle, and Sora grins. He stoops and manages to fit himself into the nook next to Haru.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a good guy, Sora. I can see why he likes you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” Sora tilts his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. You should go back. King Mickey wanted you to come here for a reason, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No way.” Sora says with conviction. “I’m sure the King had good intentions, but I’m not gonna stand around while someone insults my friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sora you don’t remem-” Haru cuts himself off. “I know I look like Riku, but you don’t really know me. We’re not friends. Not really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to be.” Sora answers honestly. “You feel like a good person. Isn’t that a good enough place to start?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haru looks stunned for a moment, before breaking out into a soft, releived smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This could go wrong in so many ways. I hope you all know that.” Zexion grumps. Axel laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah but isn’t that half the fun of it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naminé is quiet, staring down at the open page of her sketchbook thoughtfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if it doesn’t work?” She asks, words barely above a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we try again.” The deep voice of the man standing next to her speaks. “We keep trying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I’ve wasted enough time. Any longer and the superior might think I found you.” Axel waves one hand airily. “Good talk, I’ll see you all.. Never, hopefully.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t say that.” Naminé pulls her sketchbook closed. “Maybe someday…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Optimism. Cute.” Axel chuckles. “See ya, princess.” and then he vanishes into a portal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not the princess..” Naminé mutters. The man next to her puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. It speaks of their long companionship that she doesn’t flinch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As for you..” Zexion says, turning his attention to the man. “I’ll see what I can do, but your dark is as much a part of you as your light or your heart. It’s not something I can change for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I figured.” The man sighs. “Thank you anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zexion bobs his head in a small bow, and then walks away, down the terrace back into Twilight Town proper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naminé reaches up to take Riku’s hand in hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’d understand, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” He answers. “I’m still ashamed. I don’t want to look like this, when I see him again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas scowls. Now that the load of holding Xion together is a little lighter, he’s almost even more angry than he was before. At Riku. At the world. At Sora. Perhaps especially at Sora.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t fair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other two with him- he was sure they’d introduced themselves at some point but he’d been so focused on Xion he’d missed it- work like well oiled machines. Trading off learning more about Xion, helping Roxas remember her, and moving away to check up on their host without a word ever spoken between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which is why it takes him by surprise when his double suddenly goes intent on the memory windows, the smoke of her being swirling around him, and the black haired one starts to talk to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ven and I didn’t choose to be here, either.” He says. He reaches out to one of the memory windows, tracing the laughing faces within. “I was angry too. I’d never known freedom, and I thought here.. had to be just one more prison for me to languish in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seems like a theme.” Roxas mutters. He tries to remember exactly how Xion's laughter sounded and can’t manage it. It hurts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even if he can’t do anything else for her, she deserves to be remembered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I get it.” The black haired boy continues. “You don’t want to be here and everything has gone wrong in the worst possible way, but..”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But?” Roxas prompts, admittedly curious. Vanitas keeps his eyes trained on the memory windows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sora’s a good kid.” He says. “Honest to a fault. He didn’t ask for this any more than we did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s sure not what Riku seemed to think.” Roxas scowls again. A memory window starts to play of their last fateful confrontation before Roxas closes it with a sharp gesture. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just saying give him a chance.” The other boy continues. “You don’t have to be best of friends. But active hostility is only going to make it worse- and yeah, I’m speaking from experience. Besides, the more hands on deck with this memory business the better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas scoffs, but doesn’t outright deny it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll think about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanitas smirks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give it time. He’ll work his way into your heart. He always does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yen Sid is contrite enough that Sora goes along with the rest of his speech, though Haru does not re-enter the room until it’s time for them to be shuffled off to a side room. Three jovial fairies argue with great familiarity with each other, and finally Sora gains clothing that actually fits him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora does a quick turn, admiring the new digs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Waddya think?” He asks. Haru smirks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks good. Riku will flip.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora blushes, scratching one cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you, young man!” The green fairy flitters forward toward Haru. “That coat might be practical, but I do believe we can spruce it up some, can’t we dears?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no, that’s okay I don’t need-” Haru tries to protest. All three fairies tut him into silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come now, dearie.” The red one twirls her wand. “A little something for the road. And a one and a two and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lights flash again, and Haru finds his clothing changed as well. It’s still black, and similar to what he had before, but with more flair and somehow more personalised now, sporting a star motif and what look like paoupou leaves on the drawstrings of the hood. He looks it over, impressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really didn’t ask for anything, but.. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s no problem dear.” The blue one says. “We heard what happened with you and Yen Sid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t hold it against him.” The green one entreats. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haru frowns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know if I can promise that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand and I appreciate your honesty.” The red one accepts his answer with grace. “We only ask that you try.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, you said you had questions. Maybe we can help?” The green one clasps her hands hopefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, uh.” Haru appears at a loss for a moment. “I’m.. not sure if you guys </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> help. I don’t know where to start now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The beginning, usually.” Sora pipes up with a grin from where he waits by the door. Haru gives in to a fit of childishness and pokes his tongue out at him before turning back toward the fairies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was.. Mostly about the heart. What happens when two or more hearts come together? What happens if they’re torn apart again, by force? Can they be separated peacefully?” Haru speaks with a quiet conviction. Sora looks on with dawning realisation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s talking about Sora’s heartmates, isn’t he? Something in Sora warms at the thought that this person he barely knew was looking for every possible solution he could find for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh dear, I’m afraid you’re right, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> a bit out of our wheelhouse.” The red one hums. The blue one huffs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But if there’s one thing we </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> know about the heart, it’s that it always finds a way.” She says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right..” Haru says. The green fairy moves forward to rest a comforting hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry too much. Everything will turn out all right, you’ll see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haru turns to leave with Sora, a small smile gracing his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The gummi ship is a nice surprise, and after Donald and Goofy get their own wardrobe upgrades, they’re finally ready to go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, where to first?” Goofy asks, taking up his seat to Sora’s right. Donald casts his gaze expectantly to the boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, all the old lanes are closed.” The duck says. Sora frowns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We just have to make new ones, right?” Sora says slowly, and then lifts his keyblade. It’s warmth is steady and comforting in his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sora?” Haru asks, standing near the back of the small cockpit. Sora grins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First stop: home!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>kairi gets to come too because we want her to be able to do things in this universe</p><p>also i still dont fucking know how paoupou is supposed to be spelled and at this rate i probably never will. im sorry dear reader, but this is something you will just have to deal with</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Open Umbrellas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kairi's journey begins</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sora visiting his fam doesn't get a lot of spotlight here bc this whole chapter is kairi pov and it doesn't stand out much to her. that being said, there will be an extra's chapter devoted entirely to it later, i just haven't decided when to upload it lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kairi has been working hard, but she’s tired of waiting.</p><p>Her friends have noticed, Selphie especially. “You never hang out anymore.” She’d complain. Kairi would apologize, but she doesn’t really have time to just.. Hang out. Even when she’d forgotten Sora for a few months she never stopped honing her new magic. Riku was still out there. She needed to go after him too, bring them both home.</p><p>The guilt weighs hard and deep in her chest, the knowledge that her choices, her jealousy, had hurt all three of them to this point. She still feels that jealousy, but she’s older now, wiser, and knows it for what it is. Riku never deserved that from her, just like she never deserved it from him.</p><p>She could be still angry about what happened on the islands, she could have continued to blame him and that would have been her right, but she sees him in her minds eye at night, nothing more than ghostly wisps of light doing everything in his power to hold Ansem back, for them, for <em> her, </em> not knowing if he’d live through it.</p><p>She wants to do better. She wants to see her friend again.</p><p>She just doesn’t know how to get off the islands.</p><p>All the magic practice in the world couldn’t lift her off this world and that was where she was stuck. She’d built boats and tried enchanting them. She’d found little gummi pieces floating along the shore sometimes, but it was never enough to actually build anything with. She even tried just wishing <em> really hard </em> one time in a fit of desperation, and she’s almost convinced she saw a glimmer of light spark in front of her... but she’d also been very sleep deprived at the time and hadn’t been able to make it happen since.</p><p>She goes down to the play island to brainstorm, sometimes, when all her ideas have failed her and depression starts to sink in. She needs the reminder of what she’s working so hard for, why she can’t give up.</p><p>It feels almost sacrilegious, to be here without her boys, but none of the others really come here anymore, and it was one of the few places she was almost guaranteed some time alone. She practices here, summoning swords made of ice and armour made of.. Something. She’s not sure what. When she’s tired and worn herself out she sits on the disturbed sand of the beach and pulls out her journal.</p><p>She writes to them both. Even when her memories had become scrambled she’d still written to the boy she couldn’t remember. She flips back through them, wondering what happened to cause that, to make everyone forget for months at a time.</p><p>She’d written one letter in particular, to her boys, when her memory had been fuzzy and she couldn’t quite remember one of them but she’d <em> known </em> he’d been there. A letter in a bottle, like an SOS in the old stories, a message of light and hope that she wished would bring them all home. </p><p>At first it had only been to the one she couldn’t remember; he took up her thoughts and dreams, that missing boy. But the more she’d thought about it, the more it had seemed… wrong. She remembered Vani and Ven, the hard fought lessons they’d learned. She remembered the bitter jealousy she’d seen in Vani that she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge in herself.</p><p>She thinks of Riku, who had been so hurt and alone he’d fallen to darkness and nearly taken all the worlds with him. She wonders if he still would have done that if she hadn’t been fighting for his attention for Sora.</p><p>She wonders if she’s giving herself too much credit.</p><p>She wonders if that little bottle somehow made it to them as she looks over the pure blue ocean waves she’d let it sail off in, or if it had simply been a passing urge that didn’t mean anything at all. </p><p>She hopes it did. There was an apology between those lines, and a promise. She wants to believe it will mean something to both her boys too.</p><p>Kairi hears a familiar rumble of engines, and her heart leaps as she looks up to see a ship she hadn’t been sure she ever would again after so long.</p><p>“Kairi!” Sora yells jubilantly, jumping from the open hatch.</p><p>“Sora!” She returns, and tears well in her eyes in sheer relief. He wraps her in a hug that she returns tightly.</p><p>She leans back, and then socks him in the shoulder.</p><p>“What took you so long?!” She demands, and he rubs the back of his head in embarrassment.</p><p>“It’s a long story.” He says. “I’m still looking for Riku, but the short version is I was asleep for a year? A bunch of stuff happened. I’ve got a new heart. Maybe two I’m not sure. Also replicas are a thing and I really need you to not freak out at Haru.”</p><p>That was a lot to digest. Kairi narrows it down to what’s relevant right now.</p><p>“Who’s Haru and why would I freak out?” She asks, and then shakes her head and pulls him in for another hug. “Actually you know what, it can wait. I missed you so much, Sora.”</p><p>She feels hesitant arms wrap around her in turn.</p><p>“I’m sorry for making you wait.” He says, and she feels a years worth of tension drain out of her all at once. After a long moment, the two pull away.</p><p>“Okay, <em> now </em> tell me everything.”</p><p>-</p><p>She does not freak out at Haru.</p><p>Externally, anyway.</p><p>Internally it is another matter entirely. The boys are eerily similar, and the whole situation sets her nerves on edge, making her twitchy and perhaps a little bit sharper with Haru then she really needed to be. She doesn’t mean to, but the constant reminder that Riku is still missing makes her heart hurt.</p><p>They stop at home quick to visit Sora’s mother (just Kaze to Sora's regret, his other mother is still out on the boats and they don't know when she'll be back), who cries on him for an hour, which prompts Haru to come looking for them (despite the general agreement that he stay on the ship to avoid potential awkwardness) and causes a whole new round of awkward. There are several confused explanations, and though Sora’s mother isn’t enthusiastic about him leaving again, his earnestness at trying to find his friends is one she cannot ignore.</p><p>She makes them lunch and wishes them well, even Haru. Kairi turns away when she notices his eyes watering. She doesn’t know how to feel about that, so she doesn’t.</p><p>The ship takes off and the hunt for Riku begins.</p><p>Well, that’s their main mission anyway. It would go a whole lot smoother if Haru would loosen those tight lips of his and just tell them where he is, but the boy is every bit as stubborn as his originator and refuses to say anything.</p><p>It frustrates Kairi to no end.</p><p>They’re also looking for ways to get Sora’s heartmates their own bodies, as well as hunting down clues to Ventus’ lost friends. It’s a lot to keep track of, and the group has ended up splitting up on more than one world to canvas for clues better. Kairi is grateful that she’s put so much work into practice, because she would have been woefully unprepared otherwise. Even now she finds herself occasionally picked up out of the muck by one of the others (most often Goofy, she’s noticed) after a particularly rough battle.</p><p>Their first world finds them in some kind of feudal era place, where girls aren’t allowed to fight and Kairi has to sneak around in a Travelling Healer type role in order to get by. They meet a girl named Mulan, who proves the error of her culture, and Kairi spends a good deal of time trading tips with her. She likes that world… or rather, she likes the people she meets there.</p><p>(“Roxas says he’s met you.” Sora says, deep into the warm summer night, as they lay in sleeping bags under the stars. The others are asleep.</p><p>“Roxas.” She says, turning the name over on her lips, remembering a conversation that shouldn’t have been possible. “You know.. I think we did.”)</p><p>Their second world finds them meeting the Beast once more, though he doesn’t seem quite the same. Sora tries to call out for him, but in the end it’s Kairi’s light combined with the calls of his beloved servants that breaks the darkness’ hold. She’s more than happy to catch up with Belle after, and takes probably more pleasure than she should have at helping Sora and Haru take Xaldin down a few pegs after that.. Though she hadn’t expected the man to vanish the way he did after a particularly solid series of blows. She has the shakes for hours afterwards, not entirely sure what happened and not really sure if she <em> wants </em> to know. They’re treated to a lovely meal by the grateful denizens, and then hole up in one of the lavish guest rooms for some rest. </p><p>(“Is Riku really so scared of us he won’t come home?” She asks Van late that evening. Vanitas floats impassively between her and Sora while Donald and Goofy snore loudly a few feet away. She doesn’t know where Haru went. He has a tendency to abscond whenever Sora’s heartmates are out casually. She wonders if the guilt she senses from him is related.</p><p>Vanitas shrugs awkwardly. He never was good at the emotional conversations, and she takes pity on him.</p><p>“I missed you guys while you were gone.” She chuckles. “I fell out of a tree one time and all I could think was ‘this wouldn’t have happened if Vani were here!’”</p><p>He chuffs and flicks his fingers at her, a clear teasing gesture. She giggles again.</p><p>“Well who else is going to catch me out of trees? Clearly not Sora.” She says. He tips his head in a way that she can almost see the raised eyebrow implied beneath the helmet.</p><p>“Well okay, he would try, but you’ve had more practice.”)</p><p>The next world, the one with all the hero’s is.. Interesting. They think they might have a lead for just a moment, with Hades’ ability to pull souls out of the ether and give them form, but it turns out to be a bust. They’re often temporary at best and Hades himself isn’t particularly willing to help.</p><p>(“Hey Phil, do you know a guy called Roxas?”</p><p>“Sure I do, kid. Lotta potential in that one, before he went and vanished on me. Wonder what happened to him. Too young to be gallivantin’ around getting into trouble if you ask me.”)</p><p>And then.. Hollow Bastion.</p><p>It’s different than Kairi remembers it, and yet somehow it gives her even stronger nostalgia than before. The cobblestone roads and walls, the rush of fountains and the Rising Falls always sounding in the distance…</p><p>It all feels so very familiar, but she just can’t place what it is.</p><p>They meet with the restoration committee, and then they meet a series of men in black cloaks like Xaldin from Beast’s world, who are incredibly cryptic in their address to Sora.</p><p>Sora responds.. More angrily than she’d expected. When he sags after they leave she approaches him.</p><p>“Sora, are you okay?”</p><p>“I’m fine.” He answers, but she can tell it’s automatic. “I just- Roxas is.. Really angry at those guys. It’s bleeding over.”</p><p>She blinks. She didn’t think that could happen.</p><p>“That never happened with-” She doesn’t say Vanitas, but they all know who she means. Vanitas had spent so much of their childhoods being standoffish at best and outright rude and hostile at worst. He’d warmed eventually, but it had still been clear that he’d been going through some things long before it had been explained to them.</p><p>But he’d never let it bleed over into Sora’s feelings, or at least, not as far as she knew.</p><p>“No.” Sora answers. “It was different. I think even then he didn’t really want himself spilling over. It was also…” And he pauses, does that thing he does when he’s listening internally. Kairi waits patiently.</p><p>“Is that okay for me to…?” Sora mutters, pauses, and then nods.</p><p>He looks back to Kairi.</p><p>“Vani hated himself more than he hated anything else. Roxas… hates everything that did this to him. It’s different.”</p><p>“Yeah. I can see how that would change things.” Kairi nods, even as her heart hurts. She wonders how Sora can stand holding so much of other people’s pain like that. She resolves to help him as best she can.</p><p>She lays awake that night, listening to the quiet snores of her companions and realises the quiet implication in Sora’s words. She sits up, looks at Sora’s sleeping form. She hears Haru shift slightly, just outside her vision, but ignores it.</p><p>“Roxas?” She asks quietly. “Can you hear me?”</p><p>There’s no response, no distinct waver in the air to indicate the incoming presence of one of the armours, but she continues on anyway.</p><p>“Sora said you were angry with everything that did this to you. Do you hate Sora too?”</p><p>Sora frowns in his sleep. Her lips thin into a line, sorrow flitting across her features.</p><p>“I understand why. I’d be angry too, if some stranger took everything from me. But..”</p><p>She pauses, trying to find the words.</p><p>“I guess it’s not really the same.” She starts. “I <em> did </em> have everything taken from me. Twice, probably, though I don’t really remember the first time. But the person who did it the second time.. Is one of my best friends. I still don’t understand why he did it, and I definitely want to find out.. But I don’t hate him. I don’t think I could.”</p><p>She waits again, and then sighs.</p><p>“So it’s not the same. I guess I just-” She scrubs at her eyes, trying to force back the tears. “I wanted you to know you’re not alone. We’ll find a way to let you and your friend live again. I promise. Sora does too, even if you hate him. You deserve to have your own lives. We’re going to do our best.”</p><p>She lays back down in her cot.</p><p>“Goodnight Roxas, Roxas’ friend.”</p><p>The quiet push of air is her only indication that someone has manifested. She blinks up at the armoured form hovering above her.</p><p>It’s white and blue, all strange contours and a scarf floating idly behind it. It reminds her of a nobody.</p><p>It nods, just once, and then vanishes.</p><p>She settles down to sleep with a smile on her face.</p><p>She distantly hears Haru get up and leave, but she’s nearly asleep at that point, and forgets by the next morning.</p><p>-</p><p>Things go a little sideways with the heartless invasion, but they’re holding themselves together okay until the Organization shows up. They’ve got a lead on some of the members, Ventus had a minor freakout over a portrait found in the Castle that they hadn’t had time to question him about, and King Mickey had finally promised some answers before the invasion proper started.</p><p>Demyx had been an unwelcome surprise, on the part of both parties it seemed. He’d taunted Roxas, and then they’d been forced to fight. Him and his many, many water copies. Who healed him if they let them dance around too long. </p><p>For a guy as self proclaimed lazy as he was, Demyx was an incredibly difficult opponent.</p><p>When he staggers back, flickering darkness at the edges, he panics.</p><p>“Oh- oh no no no NO-”</p><p>And then he’s gone.</p><p>Sora staggers back, stumbles to cliff wall, and breathes heavily. Kairi isn’t feeling much better, but she hadn’t been the one to deal the final blow this time. She reaches out to Sora, only to flinch back when he bats her hand away, eyes unfocused and movement jerky and sharp.</p><p>“Sora.” Donald calls. “It’s okay. We’re here.”</p><p>“I killed them, oh gods I killed them-” Sora mutters. Goofy shakes his head.</p><p>“You did what you had to.” He says. “We gotta keep goin’.”</p><p>“Right.” Sora says, though the word has barely any strength to it. “Right. We gotta help the others.”</p><p>Kairi reaches out to take his hand, a silent promise, and he stands a little straighter. Her hands are shaking hard enough she can’t feel his shaking too. They don’t have time to process this, so they keep going.</p><p>The waves of heartless and nobodies feel nearly endless, but as the sun starts to sink low in the horizon, the numbers finally start to thin, and the group comes to a halt in a crystalline room, panting harshly and checking over their meager supplies.</p><p>“Out of ethers.” Haru says. “Cure’s only for magic from here on out.”</p><p>Donald huffs.</p><p>Kairi turns her head, and out in the open area outside the crystal room she sees a man in a black cloak. He doesn’t move, in clear view from the room, almost as if he’s waiting for them.</p><p>“Sora, Haru.” She calls their attention, and they both direct their attention to where she’s looking. Haru scowls, but Sora only tilts his head in confusion, and then walks out into the open area without another moments hesitation.</p><p>“Axel?” Sora says, and Kairi watches in confusion.</p><p>“Ven.” The man who is presumably Axel, replies. “.... Roxas.”</p><p>“They’re both mad at you.”</p><p>The man laughs. It sounds bitter.</p><p>“That’s fair.”</p><p>“Why are you here?”</p><p>“Someone had to give you an update on the plan, and since certain parties are categorically refusing to do it, I guess it has to be me.”</p><p>“Aren’t you supposed to be in contact with the King?” Haru asks, stepping up beside Sora. Axel sighs in irritation.</p><p>“Trust me kid, I tried, but he’s as slippery as an eel in all this chaos and I’m out of time. Ienzo has a theory, tell your buddies here that if a blonde man named Even randomly shows up in the castle not to kill him on sight.”</p><p>“Any progress on..?”</p><p>“Some, but it’s at a crawl. He thinks having Even around could help. As for your buddy Riku… He has a message for Ven, actually.”</p><p>Sora perks up. Kairi wishes she knew what anyone was talking about.</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“Something about having the heart of the earth. I dunno, didn’t make much sense.”</p><p>Sora mouths the words as he thinks about it, and then brightens.</p><p>“Terra! He found Terra?!”</p><p>Axel shrugs.</p><p>“Glad it means something to you. Anyways I gotta bail, or I’m in trouble. Good luck.” Axel turns with a halfhearted wave, a swirl of darkness opening behind him.</p><p>“Wait!” Sora calls. Axel pauses, looking back over his shoulder.</p><p>Ventus forms between them, hovering close. Axel’s gaze flicks away even as his body turns to face the ghost.</p><p>Ven holds a fist over his chest, just above where his heart would be. He pauses, and then does the same gesture over Axel’s chest.</p><p>Axel’s eyes widen, and Kairi swears for a moment the man might cry. He gives a smirk so tired she can feel it.</p><p>“I’ll explain some day.” He says, and then turns into the portal and vanishes.</p><p>The group is quiet for a long moment.</p><p>Kairi turns to Haru.</p><p>“Can <em> we </em> get an explanation now?” She asks but actually demands. He coughs awkwardly.</p><p>“Let’s find King Mickey, and then I’ll do my best.”</p><p>-</p><p>Kairi tries to pester Haru for answers the whole trip back to the castle, and while she does manage to gleam some nuggets of info, he’s frustratingly vague about the bigger stuff.</p><p>He reminds her a lot of Riku in these moments.</p><p>It would make her nostalgic if she weren’t ready to smack him for it.</p><p>They re-enter the office space to find Leon, the King, and another girl already waiting there.</p><p>“Naminé!” Haru rushes forward. “What are you doing here, you’re supposed to be with-”</p><p>The girl, Naminé, looks down at her clasped hands and fidgets with them.</p><p>“I’ve.. Made my decision.”</p><p>Haru doesn’t move for a long moment. He shakes his head slowly, like he can’t quite believe it.</p><p>“No- No, Naminé, we agreed, you said-”</p><p>“I know.” She says. “But I can’t run from this. I never could.”</p><p>“You don’t know that!” He protests. “Please, Naminé..”</p><p>She reaches up to hug him.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” She says and then she lets go and moves to stand in front of Kairi.</p><p>It’s.. weird. Despite the difference in hair and the way they hold themselves.. Kairi feels like she’s looking in a mirror.</p><p>“My name is Naminé.” She says quietly. “And I’m your nobody.”</p><p>She walks forward, right into Kairi, and then vanishes.</p><p>Kairi feels like all the air has been stolen from her, and like she’s been bathed in warm sunlight all at once. It’s a strange mix of uncomfortable and wholeness she isn’t sure she could describe if she tried. She looks up. Sora is confused, as are Donald and Goofy. King Mickey looks resigned. And Haru…</p><p>It’s been a long time since she’s seen Riku cry. She doesn’t think she’s ever seen him look so heartbroken as Haru does right now.</p><p>He whirls away and stalks from the room. She isn’t sure if she should pretend she didn’t see the tears streaming from his eyes as he does.</p><p>“Gosh, I guess that just leaves me to explain, huh?” Mickey hums.</p><p>“Please.” She says, though her voice sounds faint.</p><p>-</p><p>Sora tells Leon about Axel’s request. Leon purses his lips.</p><p>“The name Even sounds familiar actually.” He hums. “I’ll look into it, and I promise not to hurt him. Thanks, Sora.”</p><p>Sora shakes his head.</p><p>“I’m just passing along the message. He’s like.. A friend of a friend of a friend of a friend at this point. Roxas just thinks he’s weird, so watch out for that I guess.”</p><p>Leon gives a single huff of a laugh.</p><p>“I’ll keep that in mind. Go on, your friends are waiting.”</p><p>“See ya, Leon!”</p><p>-</p><p>Kairi hasn’t been awake while asleep since she rested in Sora’s heart, but she still remembers the basics of it as she drops off to sleep that night.</p><p>She steps across the cool glass of her heart station and looks around.</p><p>“Hello?” She calls. “Naminé?”</p><p>Silence.</p><p>Kairi huffs. She knows she’s here. Why won’t she answer?</p><p>There’s a sniffle, so faint she barely hears it. Kairi follows it to the edge of her station.</p><p>“Please let me see you.” She calls again.</p><p>“No.” The answer is hardly a whisper in the air. Kairi pouts.</p><p>“Fine. We’ll talk like this then.” She sits cross-legged on the cool glass. “Why did you do that? Mickey and Haru are working on getting bodies for all of you! You could have just waited.”</p><p>The answer takes a long time.</p><p>“I’m not supposed to exist.” It sounds so quiet and hopeless that Kairi’s heart hurts.</p><p>“You do exist. Isn’t that enough?”</p><p>“I don’t though. Not really.”</p><p>“Of course you do!” Kairi calls, frustrated. “You’re here, I’m talking to you, you exist!”</p><p>There is no answer, but a station, pure white with only a single paopu fruit charm in the center to adorn it, flashes into existence across from her. She sees the girl named Naminé sitting in the center, knees curled tightly to her chest.</p><p>“Naminé…” Kairi says. “Why did you think you had to do this?”</p><p>“We’re supposed to be whole.” She answers. “And to be whole.. We have to be one. That’s how it works.”</p><p>“Who says?” Kairi challenges.</p><p>“Researchers.” Naminé half shrugs. “People who would know.”</p><p>“But there’s evidence right in front of me that they’re wrong.” Kairi huffs.</p><p>“I thought.. Maybe it would fill the hole inside me.”</p><p>Naminé curls in on herself a little more, and Kairi can guess how that went.</p><p>“Can I come in?” She asks. Naminé doesn’t move, but the station dims at her feet in a familiar way. She steps in and sits next to the other girl. She hesitates only a moment before pulling her in for a hug.</p><p>“I’m sorry you thought you had to do this. I’m sorry for whatever lies you were told. I’m sorry I didn’t know how to stop you.”</p><p>“It’s not your fault.” Naminé mumbles. “This was my choice.”</p><p>“I’m going to make it better.” Kairi promises. “You deserve to have your own life, and you deserve to be happy in it. I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.”</p><p>Tears well in Naminé’s eyes as she looks up at the other girl. Her mouth moves, but she can’t seem to make the words come out. Kairi just smiles, wanting more than anything to make sure it comes across how much she means it.</p><p>“I promise.”</p><p>Kairi spends that night holding Naminé close as she cries into her shirt. She doesn’t mind.</p><p>-</p><p>“Where’s Haru?”  Goofy asks as they gather around the gummi ship. Sora scratches his cheek.</p><p>“He said he wasn’t coming.”</p><p>Kairi feels Naminé’s heart clench painfully and makes a decision.</p><p>“I’ll be right back.” She says and walks away without waiting for a response.</p><p><em> “Where would he hide?” </em> She asks Naminé. </p><p>It’s not far, surprisingly. She had half expected him to deliberately eschew Riku’s habit of hovering close by but out of sight, but he doesn’t bother. It doesn’t take her long to find a few likely looking alleyways, and combs through them until she hits paydirt.</p><p>“Why aren’t you coming with us?” She asks in lieu of greeting. He has his back turned to her, and it doesn’t escape her notice that he won’t look at her.</p><p>“I thought you’d be happy not to have the Riku lookalike around.”</p><p>She frowns angrily.</p><p>“Why would you think that? That’s not fair.”</p><p>“Is it? Months on the same ship and we’ve talked maybe twice. Don’t pretend you want to get to know me now.”</p><p>She winces.</p><p>“Face it,” he continues, “the fact that I look like Riku makes you uncomfortable. It’s better for everyone.”</p><p>“No.” She shakes her head. “Yes, I miss Riku, and I needed some time to get used to this, but… You’re right, it wasn’t fair of me to ignore you like that. Don’t make Sora and the others pay for that. We can try again.”</p><p>He says nothing.</p><p>“I can’t.. I can’t. Not while Naminé…” He can’t finish, but there’s the real reason for his sudden departure.</p><p>Kairi bites her lip, holding one hand over her chest uncertainly.</p><p>“Please talk to him.” She says quietly. She can feel Naminé’s hesitation, and tries to bolster her confidence with her own.</p><p>Naminé appears between them in a swirl of light and smoke.</p><p>Her dress is longer now, and of the armoured hearts Kairi has seen Naminé’s seems to look the least like armour, fetching a more flowing and organic feel. Like the others though, she still has no face, blank and expressionless. She floats towards Haru, and hugs him tightly.</p><p>Kairi turns her head away as she watches his expression slowly break. He sinks to his knees, clutching her form with all the strength he can muster.</p><p>“Why?” He asks. Begs. <em> “Why?” </em></p><p>Kairi feels the tumultuous agony of regret and fear bouncing between her link with Naminé. Her fists clench at the strength of unspoken emotions.</p><p>“She thought it was how it had to be.” Kairi says. “That it would.. Fix her, somehow.”</p><p>“You didn’t need to be fixed, Naminé-” He cuts himself off, squeezing his eyes shut. “Was I not enough?” He asks, and Kairi doesn’t need to interpret Naminé’s answer as she shakes her head wildly in the negative. She takes his face in her hands and tips his forehead to touch hers gently.</p><p>“But you still left. We had plans, Nami. You mean everything to me.”</p><p>She pulls back, shoulders hunched.</p><p>“Your plans.. Didn’t really involve her.” Kairi says. She remembers talking about this too, with Naminé, after her tears had dried. How she’d felt so isolated and alone, always needing to be protected, always trod upon by DiZ.</p><p>“What?” Haru asks, confused. “Of course they involved you, Naminé-”</p><p>Naminé shrinks into herself, a movement he’s seen too many times from her, but not one he’s used to seeing as a reaction to him, if the hurt that flashes across his face is any indication.</p><p>“They didn’t. Not really. Once Sora was awake, her purpose just kind of.. Vanished. She just existed to be protected. You were there, but… She felt very alone.”</p><p>Haru stares at Naminé with wide eyes.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” He says at length. “I never meant to do that to you.”</p><p>She reaches out for a hug, and he obliges, holding as tightly as he can manage. Her edges start to fade and it’s clear she has to return soon.</p><p>“I’ll make this better.” He says as she starts to disappear. “I’ll show you that you’re more than just Kairi’s shadow.”</p><p>“We both will.” Kairi says softly, heart clenching at the riot of emotion coming from the other girl that she won’t let herself show.</p><p>Naminé fades away, leaving Haru and Kairi alone in the alley. His fists clench, and Kairi knows Riku well enough to know what that means.</p><p>“It’s okay to feel hurt.” She says, stepping closer to hold one of his hands. “And sad. It’s got to be hard. But I meant it- she deserves her own life, to feel comfortable having one.”</p><p>He nods, throat too tight to speak.</p><p>“And if I ever meet this DiZ person, I think I might take a sword to his shins.” She continues. He huffs a laugh even as the pain in his eyes grows.</p><p>“I never should have left her with him. I knew he didn’t like us.. Feeling was mutual. I didn’t realize how much it was getting to her. I should have.”</p><p>“You’re-” She pauses. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re too much like Riku. When someone tells him he has to do something or be something, he rebels. He has to do things for his own reasons. Naminé is different. She internalizes it, even if it’s not true. Probably without even meaning to.”</p><p>Haru scowls a little at first, but as she finishes talking his brows furrow and he looks at her.</p><p>“Because that’s what you do?”</p><p>She shifts uncomfortably, but nods.</p><p>“It’s hard, and it’s something I’ve had to work very hard not to.. Let get out of control I guess. Someone says I should do or be something and it.. Sets my expectations for myself, for what I should be. I’ve had a long time to come to terms with that, understand when and why it’s happening. Naminé hasn’t. She never had the chance.”</p><p>Haru is silent.</p><p>He looks out of the alleyway, into the brightly lit streets where people are starting to out about their day.</p><p>“I’m going to give her that chance.” He says quietly. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that happens."</p><p>He turns back to Kairi.</p><p>“But I don’t think I can come with you. It’s still.. Too fresh. I need to do some thinking on my own.”</p><p>Kairi nods.</p><p>“I understand. Keep in touch, okay?”</p><p>“I will.” He says, and then walks away, vanishing into a dark portal and headed for parts unknown. Kairi sighs, and then realises something.</p><p>“Oh, I have to tell Sora about all this now, don’t I?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>so while our kairi is definitely more proactive and a little more self aware than canon kairi.. she does still have the same flaws and insecurities as canon. it's just popping up in different ways due to... well, everything. the biggest difference really is that she's being given the chance to see those flaws, and actively work on them, yknow?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Under Ladders</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Books and Girls and Hearts oh my.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hope ya'll are staying safe out there</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Zexion purses his lips, leaning back in his chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something wrong?” A deep voice behind him asks. Zexion taps the end of his pen against the desk restlessly. A portal opens and Haru steps through, hands deep in his pockets. He glares up at Riku.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you were keeping an eye on Naminé.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t going to keep her locked up.” Riku answers frankly, but the undertone of sadness and guilt still lie beneath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not fair, Riku. She gave herself up- she thought she would disappear completely, and you let it happen!” Haru stalks up to the taller boy, a finger jabbing into his chest accusingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think I don’t regret that? What did you want me to do, Haru?” Riku lets his own frustration out, but only barely, the leash on his emotions as tight as ever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know!” Haru bursts out. “Something! Anything! She thinks she’s worthless and that is </span>
  <em>
    <span>our fault!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence thick and heavy descends across the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And DiZ didn’t help. I don’t care if we need him, I’m not dealing with him anymore.” Haru says, with force. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His usefulness has run its course at any rate.” Zexion interrupts. “You can likely safely cut him out of future plans without much incident.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He won’t like that.” Riku says factually, to which Zexion acknowledges with a tip of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who cares?” Haru huffs, and just like that, the decision is made.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The King might. I’ll explain it to him later.” Riku says, and then turns to leave. Haru heads for the locked chest containing his meager possessions, and Zexion turns back to his work. DiZ was already a largely rogue factor, which was an unexpected turn. Cutting him loose may lose his easy ties to keeping an eye on the man, but it may prove useful in the long run- or so Zexion hopes. In the meantime the data worlds had possibilities, but he's running into problems with containment. Hearts needed bodies, and unfortunately without Vexen’s research his knowledge on the subject was woefully incomplete. He would have to complete the tests and research himself, which could take years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>First though, he had to explore all other avenues. Perhaps if he extrapolated the dataverse into a more broad timescape…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A week later Haru drops a book on Zexion’s table, startling the scientist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is this and why is it on my work?” He asks, a little snarky. Haru raises an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you eat yet today, Zexion?” He asks, and Zexion scowls, refusing to answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What part of laying low do you not understand? Don’t call me that, you have no idea who might be listening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haru rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ien.</span>
  </em>
  <span> And that is a journal. Sora’s journal, actually, from his first journey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Curious, Zexion flips it open, and finds all the pages blank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this some kind of joke?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haru shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Naminé was very insistent I take it. She couldn’t tell me why, but I think there’s something important in there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zexion flips through the book again, and again finds nothing but the single passage at the end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll see what I can do.” Zexion sighs, though he’s not sure when he’ll have time. Perhaps when he’s tired of beating his head against the brick wall that has become his research on the replica’s he’ll look into it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which is exactly what happens, when it’s late into the night and Zexion is on his fifth black coffee of the evening, and having gotten absolutely nowhere in hours, he picks up the journal and flips through it again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still blank.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leans back in his chair and drops the open book on his face in frustration, glad there’s no one around to see him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gosh, you look pretty tired.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your Majesty.” Zexion sits up abruptly, book tumbling from his face, exhaustion forgotten. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Having trouble?” The mouse king asks as he hops up onto a nearby stool.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No more than expected.” Zexion admits, picking up the fallen book. “Though more than I would have liked. If I could just get my hands on Vexen’s notes…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure Axel will find them.” Mickey says with confidence. “He may have been a bad guy before, but he sure seems determined to help his friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mh.” Zexion hums. He doesn’t know what verbal agreement took place for Axel to agree to help the people who had taken said friend from him in the first place, but he supposed it didn’t matter. The end result was the only part of importance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though if he had to guess, it probably had something to do with Naminé.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, is that Sora’s journal?” Mickey points out the book Zexion is still holding. Zexion snaps its blank pages closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Naminé was apparently insistent there was something important hidden in its pages, but they have been wiped clean. Another mystery I don’t have time for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm.” Mickey rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Well, don’t books have a heart? Could your data simulations work on it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zexion turns to stare at the King flatly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” He says incredulously. “Books do not have hearts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure they do.” Mickey waves his hand. “When the pages are written in, people are pouring pieces of themselves onto the pages, their hearts! And like hearts, even if the words are erased, the feelings remain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is preposterous.” Zexion sighs. “And I still don’t have time for this even if it is true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I know some fella’s who might be interested, if ya don’t mind me takin’ it to them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By all means.” Zexion hands the book over to the king. “They can even have a copy of my data research thus far on the off chance they can help with that as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gosh, we really have been workin’ ya hard, haven’t we?” The king reaches out in concern, but Zexion waves it off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine.” He insists. “I am in pursuit of my own goals as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you say so.” Mickey accepts. “Don’t push yourself too hard, our work is important but we gotta take some time to rest too sometimes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell that to your son.” Zexion snorts, turning back to the pages scattered across his desk, a clear dismissal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My son…?” Mickey ponders, and then blushes. “Oh gosh, that’s not- I mean, he hasn’t-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zexion doesn’t react, clearly not listening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then.” Mickey says, flustered, and the walks from the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zexion chuckles in spite of himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riku is a selfish person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows he is, because he hasn’t told Terra about Ven yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been like a brick to the face, realizing the Terra in his heart and the Terra that was Ven’s friend were quite possibly one and the same. He’d confirmed it by asking the King some subtle questions about the lost keyblade wielders, and just the surge of Terra’s heart listening to King Mickey talk about them was all he really needed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t bring up the fact that Ven has been resting inside his best friends heart for nearly a decade. He wonders if that makes him a bad person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No worse than destroying a young boy’s life in order to wake another from a coma, he thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just.. Needs some time. He keeps his hood drawn at all times, and though he shadows Sora and Kairi’s group a lot he refuses to get close enough to be seen. He’s ashamed of how he looks. He’s ashamed of what he’s done. If he told Terra that Ven was nearby that time would disappear and he knows it. Terra is so scattered and broken inside him, but his bond to his friends remains strong as steel, and nothing would stop him from going to their side if he knew where they were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Riku stays silent, and adds it to his pile of regrets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Terra senses this, in his more lucid moments, and when Riku rests in his own heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Troubled..” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Terra speaks, faintly like a whisper, but there. Concern thrums across their bonded hearts. Riku sighs, sitting on his own heart station and staring out across the dark. He’s never seen Terra’s heart station, but he knows it must be there. He wonders if it’s broken, like Sora had described Vanitas’ so long ago, or if it’s visible at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He answers. He might not be able to tell Terra everything yet, but he won’t lie to him. “I am. Things have been tough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Miss.. Your friends..”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Go to them.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t.” Riku shakes his head. The light silver bangs that frame his face now wobble in his vision, taunting him with a presence that no longer exists outside of dreams. He knows neither Sora nor Kairi would reject him, even as the monster he is now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow that’s almost worse. He deserves to be rejected for what he’s done. For the fact that he would do it all again if he had to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Terra grumbles discontentedly, his displeasure with Riku’s answer apparent both vocally and emotionally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe someday.” Riku allows quietly, not really believing it even as he says it. “When I can fix this. When I can make it right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Terra’s heart twists painfully, and then retreats, leaving Riku alone, wondering what he had said to cause such a reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dark gives him no answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora feels like he’s being watched.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Oh you are Definitely being watched.’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Vanitas agrees, his current companion, since Ven is with Roxas and.. Xi..? His friend, right now. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘The question is who is watching?’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora intends to find out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t stray far, not that there’s very far to stray when you’re on a boat in the middle of the carribean. Even them keeping up the watch rotation was more out of habit than necessity out here. He goes out on deck, and tenses when a familiar burst of shadows spring up from the wooden planks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing, Sora?” A man draped in red steps out of the dark, voice as imposing as his posture. He glares down at Sora imperiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better question, who are you and why do you care?” Sora retorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who I am is of no importance.” The man scoffs. “But you are causing things to veer wildly off course. I am here to correct that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Off course for what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your displays of empathy are sickeningly sweet but ill-advised. You’ve done well so far, but I worry you may lose sight of the truth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what truth is that?” Sora grits out. Vanitas sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why are you even listening to him, kid. I swear it’s the castle all over again..’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora pointedly ignores him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Organization. The Nobodies. Both mean to do you harm, you would do well to not let your heart get in the way of making sure they do not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not gonna just.. Let someone off me.” Sora huffs, and comes up out of battle ready in his annoyance. “But.. Kindness isn’t a weakness. Sometimes all a person needs is a friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanitas is quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Foolishness.” The man scoffs. “It will get you killed, as well as those who depend on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora does flinch a little at that. He feels the weight of those people, those souls, all too clearly, greater with every passing day. He doesn’t need some stranger to remind him of </span>
  <em>
    <span>that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what do you know!” Sora shouts. Immature, perhaps, but he is done with this conversation. “What’s your point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sora?” The door to the galley creaks open and Kairi steps out, rubbing her eyes. “Is everything-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stops and startles as she sees the stranger on the deck. The man purses his lips in irritation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well this is unexpected. Clearly I have not been kept properly up to date. How… Interesting.” He turns away. “But ultimately irrelevant. Perhaps I should reconsider who I have chosen to carry out my revenge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re DiZ!” Kairi bursts out, expression going from surprise to anger in an instant. Her blade of ice sparks to life in her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how do you know that name, young Princess?” He moves to look back at her, but she’s already lunged forward, blade extended. She catches the volume of his cloak, tearing it, but he dodges the majority of her swing. He stumbles back as she swings again, clearly caught off guard and not prepared for a fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naminé swirls to life above Kairi’s head, and for the first time, Sora finds himself scared of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naminé doesn’t fight, she doesn’t help Kairi the way Ven and Vanitas do for Sora, and it was just generally accepted that this was how she was. She helps them in </span>
  <em>
    <span>other</span>
  </em>
  <span> ways. Flowers and light swirl around Kairi as the two move in tandem, Kairi’s self-taught grace melding perfectly with the looming, angry presence of a good person wronged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naminé reaches one armored glove out, and DiZ bends nearly double as the multiple effects hit him at once. Sora recognizes the hazy stare of blindness, the paling skintone of poison, and the stumbling step of confusion quickly. Any one of these make coordination difficult, but all three mean the man is all but incapacitated. He gasps, glare deepening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Save your anger, you foolish child.” He spits. “She is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>nobody.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Kairi raises her hand to strike again, but a dark portal springs to life and DiZ falls through it without another moment wasted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kairi pants, fist clenched around the sword angrily.  Naminé’s form curls in on itself and Sora thinks that if she were capable of making sound she might be screaming. Or crying. Perhaps both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, Sora had not even had time to do anything. Even Vanitas could only watch in stunned confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naminé vanishes, and Sora realises that Kairi, despite having gone slack, has her own tears rolling down her face. He rushes forward, finally broken from his surprised stupor, cupping her cheeks in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He hurt Naminé.” She sobs. “He hurt her so badly, Sora. Made her think she was worthless! All b-because she was a nobody.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora hugs her, hopes somehow Naminé can feel it too from deep inside Kairi’s heart, and wonders if the rage in his chest at this revelation belongs more to himself, or to Vanitas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, he decides, it doesn’t really matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>DiZ was not allowed to hurt his friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanitas paces his station once, twice, three times before the rage boils over and he summons his keyblade to swing violently through the air. He roars in anger as he swings, anything to get the overbearing emotion in his chest out. </span>
  <span>He can’t do it the same way he used to after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not really about Naminé. It’s not even boil overs from Sora. It’s all just hitting a little too close to home, reminding him just a little too much of Xehanort. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A dark wisp of smoke curls around him, and he feels the faintest hint of pressure on his bicep, and if he imagines it hard enough it almost feels like a hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am allowed to be angry.” He tells it. Her? The shadow shifts, hints of feelings filtering through and around him. Communication with the memory was difficult at best and something of a guessing game, but once they had realized what (and who) the wisp was, they tried their best. Even Vanitas. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Possibly especially Vanitas. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It curls around him tighter, understanding and acceptance flit through the air like glittering shards of glass, pointed and fine. He sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever. It doesn’t matter.” He turns on his heel and looks across the gathered stations to where two nearly identical blond heads sit, surrounded by a growing wall of memories.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s been slow going, but they’re definitely making progress. Even as he watches a new memory window fades into existence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas’ head lists to one side before he shakes his head, blinking blearily. The bags under his eyes tell Vanitas all he needs to know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their bodies may not be physical here, but even hearts need rest. Roxas has refused to stop in all the months he’s been in this place and Vanitas knows he’s close to breaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wisp seems to see where he’s looking and effuses concern, drifting to and fro as if in a plea for help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanitas steels his back and stomps across the stations. Ventus smiles up at him but he ignores it, instead hauling Roxas onto his feet by the lapel of the ugly white jacket he’s currently wearing (Seriously, the kid needs to pick one outfit and stick to it in Vanitas’ opinion).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey-!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need a distraction, you need a break. I don’t care what you do with it. Ventus, go with him, I’m taking over.” He says factually, in a tone that brooked no argument. He pushes Roxas out of the little circle of windows and then takes his place in the center, half solid smoke still swirling around him. It feels pleased, even making a shooing motion as they’re pushed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Xion-” Roxas tries to protest, but the smoke collects and shudders, annoyance filling the air. Roxas pouts, but sags in defeat, accepting the wisps recriminations. He really is exhausted. Ven pats him on the back before tugging him away. There weren’t many places to go here, but anywhere had to be better than staring at the same thing over and over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We won’t recover anything new if I’m not there though.” The nobody protests, but there isn’t much heat in it. Poor kid, Ventus thinks, shaking his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We won’t lose anything as long as Vanitas is there to keep an eye on it. You need a break, Xion made it very clear that she.. She? Doesn’t want you to hurt yourself for her sake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas grunts, clearly displeased, but doesn’t try to force his way back. It’s progress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, there’s this place deeper in I think you’d like..” Ven tugs Roxas along, pulling him to the very edge of the station.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s nothing here though.” Roxas says, confused. Ven laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’d be surprised. Vanitas found it a while ago, kinda like a sanctuary within a sanctuary. Follow me.” And with that, he steps off the edge and floats downward with surprising gentleness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas hops forward instinctively, reaching out as the other boy falls. By the time he looks over the edge, Ventus has already disappeared. Roxas looks back towards his own station, where Vanitas sits surrounded by the semi-solid presence of his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The smoke forms something that could almost be a hand and waves, a movement almost deliberately cheerful. It sets his heart at ease just enough, and he gives a little wave back before taking a deep breath and hopping off the edge himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is no rush of wind or air like he expects, even the sense of falling weight feels strangely light. The station walls next to him fade into the dark, and for a long moment he exists in complete sensory deprivation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then it’s gone, suddenly replaced by the low rush of ocean waves, the bright sun warm on his cheeks, the smell of palm trees nearby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns, blinking owlishly, sand sifting beneath his feet. Has he been here before? He’s not totally sure. It feels familiar somehow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to Destiny Islands.” Ven appears at his elbow, making him jump. “Or at least, Destiny Islands as Sora remembers it and has engraved on his heart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do all hearts have this?” Roxas asks, still turning his head to take in the elaborate wooden buildings of the play island. A light breeze from nowhere brushes against the palm leaves above them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventus shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dunno. Probably.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve never checked?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we can only get here because we’re already in Sora’s heart. If we have our own getting to them would probably be a lot harder.” Ven says, taking the opportunity to sit down in the soft warm sand of the beach. Roxas stays standing, though he’s obviously tempted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has a thought, and then his expression grows sad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We said…” He starts, prompting Ventus to look up. “We said we would all go to the beach together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You and Xion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Axel.” Roxas nods. Ven’s own expression falls a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just-” Roxas scuffs one shoe across the sand. “Why did he do that? Why did he lie to us? We were supposed to be friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ven falls back against the sand, crossing his arms behind his head, somber.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes.. Friends make mistakes.” He says. He’s had a lot of time to think about the things that happened between him and Terra and Aqua. He’s had time to come to terms with it, realize that Aqua had been trying her best with the weight that had been thrust upon her, that Terra had fallen victim to others machinations as much as his own flaws.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now all he wants is to see them again. To know that they’re okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas is scowling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pretty big mistake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not saying you have to forgive him.” Ven says, and it has as much to do with his own complicated feelings with Axel as it does Roxas’ own situation. “I’m just saying… sometimes people mess up, even without meaning to hurt anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas sighs, and finally flops down to sit on the sand. He reaches out a hand to draw little figures into the soft grains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish things could go back to the way they were.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think you do, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas head snaps up, angry, but Ven just waves a hand, trying to explain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s like- You want the three of you to be friends again, back when things weren’t always complicated, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it was always complicated, you just couldn’t see it yet.” Ven says, and Roxas’ gaze skitters away from Ven and out over the endless blue water. “So is that actually better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sound like you’re talking from experience.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventus laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A little. It’s a long story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going anywhere. Apparently.” To Roxas’ credit, he sounds only a little bitter at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventus hums, trying to decide where to start.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know… I knew Lea, back before he was Axel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His name was Lea?” Roxas asks, and Ven laughs that that was the thing he focused on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I met him and Isa when I was running around the worlds trying to catch up with Terra and Aqua. I didn’t.. Have a lot of friends. Never have. Just Terra and Aqua and the Master. So when he said ‘we’re friends now’ it was… It meant a lot to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas waits, silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then… Well a lot of stuff happened. I found out I was only half a person, and if I fought my other half it would make some kind of super-keyblade that Xehanort was going to use to end the world or something. Blah blah blah. It’s complicated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas stares at him openly. Ventus shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll tell you the details later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, long story short, at the end of it, me and Vani ended up here, our last refuge from all the things trying to destroy us both. Including each other. I won’t say I don’t wish we were out there, living our own lives, but it did give me and Van a chance to actually y’know… work through some stuff. I’m not sure if that would have happened otherwise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh huh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had a thought, where was I going with it…?” Ventus hums. “Oh yeah. So here we are.. And then Sora ends up in this place called Castle Oblivion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that place.” Roxas says. “Axel kept getting sent there, and I went once.. I think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ven nods, somber once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he was. I saw him. I watched him kill someone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Roxas’ brows furrow, confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Murdered a man right in front of us. Sora doesn’t remember, but you’ve seen us pull him out of some nasty dreams sometimes right? His heart still remembers. I was devastated that Lea could do something so awful. What had happened to the boy who’d been my friend? How could he have become this… this monster?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas gnaws on his lip, digesting this information. Ventus barrels on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I still don’t know. It still hurts. But seeing him… with you and Xion? He reminds me of the boy I knew. Older, a little more bitter and hard, but… still him. It made it easier to see the bridge between the two. Sometimes that hurts just as much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventus sits up so he can look into Roxas’ face properly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I just wanted to say thank you. For showing us your friends, your memories. I know you didn’t do it for us… But it’s meant a lot to me. So thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t do anything.” Roxas murmurs. Ventus smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes you don’t have to.” He says, and then holds out a hand. “Friends?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas gives his first true smile in weeks. He takes Ven’s hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Friends.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>to everyone who wanted to see kairi and/or namine beat up DiZ; bon appetite</p><p>to everyone who didnt want to see xion fade completely into the background; despair not. xion has Opinions and even as a wisp is not afraid to voice them.</p><p>and finally to no one, roxas and ventus friendship. because i said so.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Black Cats</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The hunt continues, Kairi gets a surprising offer.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>do you ever write something and then later realise you've accidentally set up a hell of a plot thread? im not entirely sure where it's gonna go yet, but theres Potential here, yessss precious.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sora has a distinct slump to his shoulders as they exit Santa’s home. Donald, Goofy, and Kairi all exchange a worried glance. </p><p>“Even Santa won’t tell us where Riku is.” Sora stuffs his hands in his pockets and kicks at the snow idly. “This sucks.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Kairi agrees. “I’m just about fed up with this.”</p><p>“Gosh, I think maybe you guys need a break.” Goofy tries. “Why don’t we get something to eat, that always helps me.”</p><p>“Yeah!” Donald nods. “Look, we’ll get some gingerbread from the little store over there.”</p><p>“Riku loves gingerbread…” Sora sighs, and the thought makes Kairi hang her head a little too.</p><p>“That’s right. He’d always steal bits from ours whenever we were making houses as kids.” She laughs. “Remember that time he took that chunk of wall from yours Sora?”</p><p>Sora smiles at the memory.</p><p>“Yeah, made the whole thing fall down. Ven tried to save it, but he ended up crushing it instead. He felt so bad after.”</p><p>“Right that settles it.” Goofy tugs the two teenagers along. “We’ll get some gingerbread, and we’ll get extra to give to Riku when you find him.”</p><p>Sora and Kairi’s eyes both light up at the thought.</p><p>“That’s a great idea!” Sora enthuses. Kairi nods.</p><p>“Do you think they’ll have ones with a sugar coating? Or extra cinnamon? Riku loves cinnamon.”</p><p>“It’s Christmas Town.” Donald laughs. “I bet they’ll have all kinds!”</p><p>They do have all kinds.</p><p>The group walks out with much lighter wallets and bags full of a dozen different types of cookies and gingerbread. Sora and Kairi feel a little lighter than before, though they’re obviously still longing for their missing friend. Sora and Kairi nibble on their treats, hand in hand and smiling contentedly, trading old christmas stories (most of which involve Riku). Goofy gives Donald a look and they give each other a subtle high five that everyone still notices anyway.</p><p>They all climb back aboard the gummiship, and start trying to figure out where they should go next. They don’t have much for leads, mostly going wherever the metaphorical winds take them, but today the little window in the cockpit lights up, revealing Chip and Dale all but falling over themselves in their excitement.</p><p>“Sora!” Chip squeaks. “Where’ve you been? We’ve got news!”</p><p>“News?” Sora leans over the console, hopeful. Chip nods.</p><p>“That weird aura around Twilight Town is clearing up! We think you might be able to go back soon. We’ve got some weird readings around that area too though, so be careful.” Dale says.</p><p>Sora feels Roxas’ heart clench inside him. He’s not sure if either of them are ready to go back, but he files it away for later. They may not have a choice.</p><p>“We’ve also got another world on the radar for you to check. Called the Pridelands.” Chip tunes in. “Could be interesting.”</p><p>“Okay.” Sora nods.</p><p>“And one last thing!” Dale jumps up and down. “We got a gift for ya!”</p><p>“A gift?” Kairi asks, and a moment later the distinct sound of a portal opening sounds behind them. They all look up to see Haru step through.</p><p>“Here.” He says, not bothering with a greeting, which makes Sora pout. He hands out a series of small devices. Sora turns the little box over in his hands, confused.</p><p>“Thanks.” Sora says. “What is it?”</p><p>Haru laughs.</p><p>“Chip and Dale are calling it a gummiphone.”</p><p>“It’s a communication device, like the one we’re using now!” Chip affirms. “Except you can take it with you out on the worlds. We’re gonna make more, so you can keep in contact with the people you need to.”</p><p>“Wow, that’s so cool!” Kairi says, poking at hers. Haru goes through the motions of helping each of them turn it on and set it up. It’s thankfully very intuitive, a blessing considering Sora had no particular talent with technology.</p><p>“Who all has one?” Donald asks, the gears turning in his mind.</p><p>“Well, you guys, for starters.” Dale says.</p><p>“I have one.” Haru continues.</p><p>“Zexion-” Chip says. Sora turns to Kairi.</p><p>“Who’s Zexion?”</p><p>She shrugs.</p><p>“Chiiiip, remember we’re not supposed to call him that now!” Dale puts tiny paws on hips in exasperation.</p><p>“Oh oops. Sorry, Ienzo has one. He’s been really busy though, that’s why we got put on this project!”</p><p>“Although it wasn’t originally meant to be this project. We were actually looking at your journal, Sora!”</p><p>“Yeah, with the data-simulation research Ienzo gave us!”</p><p>“Oh!” Kairi says. “Did you find Naminé’s message? She said there were things you needed to find that she couldn’t really explain.”</p><p>“We think so.” Chip nods enthusiastically. “We’ll send ya the details on the phones later, but we think that by using the data Naminé left in the journal, we might be able to figure out what happened to… well a bunch of people!”</p><p>“And how to help them!” Dale continues, clapping his paws together.</p><p>“Really?” Goofy asks, hopeful. “Like who?”</p><p>“Gosh it’s a bit of a list.” Chip pulls out a roll of paper, one covered in tiny mathematical equations Sora couldn’t make heads nor tails of. In the center is clearly a list of names.</p><p>“We already know what happened to Ventus, since he’s in Sora’s heart,” Chip starts. “But nobody knew what happened to his friends, Terra and Aqua.”</p><p>As if summoned, Ventus forms next to Sora. He’d clearly been listening even if he hadn’t been speaking up, because he leans in close to the screen, obviously asking for more.</p><p>“Hi Ven!” Dale waves. Ven gives a cursory wave back before poking at the screen impatiently.</p><p>“Right, so!” Chip unfurls the paper a little more. “Even the King didn’t know what happened to them, and he was there! But with what he knew, the data in the journal, and what Naminé was able to find, we think we’ve found some clues to what happened.”</p><p>“We think it has something to do with Vanitas’ old master, Xehanort.” Dale says, and though his tail twitches, he grows somber. “And Terra-”</p><p>“Riku said he had found Terra though.” Sora interrupts. “That was his message.”</p><p>Haru winces, though only Kairi sees it.</p><p>Chip and Dale glance at each other awkwardly.</p><p>“He found Terra’s heart.” Dale corrects.</p><p>“We think Xehanort stole his body.”</p><p>Ven jerks back, stunned. He whirls to Sora, gesturing wildly. Thankfully, Sora’s mind is on much the same path.</p><p>“But he’s- he’s okay though, right? We can get it back!”</p><p><em> “If </em> we’re right-” Chip starts.</p><p>“And we’re not totally sure-” Dale continues.</p><p>“After Xehanort took Terra’s body-”</p><p>“He split up again.”</p><p>“Into Ansem, who you fought before-”</p><p>“And Xemnas, the leader of the Organization you’re facing now.”</p><p>“So it’s kinda complicated.”</p><p>Ventus’ fists clench and unclench fitfully. He gestures again. Sora nods.</p><p>“What about Aqua?”</p><p>“We’re not as sure about her. After everything, there hasn’t been a single trace of her in the realm of light for nearly a decade.” Dale says. Chip nods.</p><p>“So the King had a thought.”</p><p>“What if she’s not in the realm of light?” Haru finishes, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “The King is looking into it now, but at the moment it’s just a theory.”</p><p>“Right.” Sora sighs. Ven’s head hangs low.</p><p>Kairi reaches out to take one of Ven’s armoured hands in hers. She knows from experience he can’t feel her warmth, but she hopes the gesture means something anyway. His head tilts towards her, and he floats just a little closer, so she thinks maybe it still helped.</p><p>“So that’s those three.” Chip says, clearly trying to draw the conversation back on track. “We also know what happened to Roxas already, but we’re also working on someone else who was with him-”</p><p>“Oh!” Sora brightens. “Xion!”</p><p>“Uh…” Chip and Dale shrug. “I guess? It’s been harder for that one, because even though we know what happened, no one <em> remembers </em>what happened and all we have to go on is the very sparse notes that Axel has managed to smuggle out to us. It has to do with the replica project, and Ienzo is hoping it will help us with bringing both of them back.”</p><p>Sora’s heart soars. He hopes Roxas is watching, but if not he’s still excited to tell him later.</p><p>Maybe Roxas will stop hating him if there’s a clear way out on the horizon.</p><p>Sleeping has been awkward ever since Roxas took up residence.</p><p>“This same project we hope will also help with Vanitas.” Chip says, and Ventus perks up again. Sora doesn’t feel anything from Van, but he assumes it’s because he’s focused on the Xion thing.</p><p>“Yup, if the process of creating replica’s works for Roxas and his uh. Friend? We’re almost certain it should work for Vanitas too.” Dale confirms.</p><p>“That’s great!” Sora cheers. “When will it be ready?”</p><p>“That’s the bad news.” Haru interrupts. “Even with Ienzo working basically around the clock, and Chip and Dale’s help, it’s been slow going. The research we’ve been able to piece together is just too incomplete, and they’re having to start from scratch with a lot of things.”</p><p>“We’re workin’ on it though, all of us!” Dale tries to stay optimistic. “It might take a while, but I’m sure we’ll get there. We just wanna be sure the replicas we make are gonna be perfect.”</p><p>“Don’t wanna get into a body that’s going to fall apart.” Donald nods, as if this makes perfect sense.</p><p>Sora sighs, and suddenly he’s exhausted. It’s a lot to process at once. He looks over at Ven, who tips his head once, and then vanishes, just as tired. He catches Kairi’s eye and tries to smile for her. Her attempt to return it looks as tired as his feels.</p><p>“We’ll send you the finer details later.” Chip says, sensing the conversation drawing to a close.</p><p>“Ciao!” Dale says, and then the screen goes dark.</p><p>Sora slumps into the captains chair, trying to process everything, but his mind just feels awhirl. So many people… He jerks upright.</p><p>“I didn’t get to ask about Riku!” He shouts.</p><p>Haru has the audacity to chuckle at him. Sora and Kairi both pout at him.</p><p>“He is… He is okay, right?” Sora asks, looking up at the taller boy with wide, sad eyes that he has no hope of saying no to.</p><p>“I saw him yesterday, he’s alive and kicking if that’s what you mean.” Haru says after a moment’s pause. Kairi frowns.</p><p>“You know it’s not.” She says, accusing. Haru shrugs.</p><p>“Why won’t he come home?” Sora asks. They all know home isn’t a place in this context.</p><p><em> ‘Why isn’t he here with us?’ </em> is what he’s actually asking.</p><p>“You ask me that every time Sora.” Haru says with a sigh. “The answer hasn’t changed.”</p><p>“Just-” Kairi stomps one foot. “Just take us to him! Whatever he’s dealing with- we can help! We want to help!”</p><p>Haru’s already somber expression deepens.</p><p>“I know.” He answers. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve been talking to him too, trying to get him to see you.”</p><p>“Stubborn idiot.” Kairi grumbles to herself. Sora stares up at the ceiling of the cockpit, lost in thought. Kairi sits on the arm of the chair and rests her head against his, not liking the sadness in his expression, how it mirrors her own.</p><p>“I’ll let him know you miss him, like always.” Haru says, and then vanishes into a portal.</p><p>Sora and Kairi stay where they are. Donald and Goofy don’t need to speak to each other to understand that the ship isn’t going anywhere right now, and they wander below decks to explore their new phones and learn their functions.</p><p>Kairi only moves to settle more into the chair, and Sora moves over so she can fit. It’s squished, but they make it work, and it’s easier on Kairi’s neck. They don’t speak. Sora closes his eyes, and she’s not sure if he’s dozing or just too deep in thought to keep his eyes open. She suspects the latter. It’s all too obvious what’s on his mind; it’s on hers too. She fiddles with the buttons of her new phone without actually turning it on. It chirps with an incoming message, but the number doesn’t have an attached name, so she ignores it.</p><p>She wonders what Riku is doing right now.</p><p>-</p><p>She checks her new phone later, as they’re lounging around in their shared quarters. Donald is fast asleep already while Goofy quietly polishes his shield in one corner, the smell of the polish floating through the cabin a familiar part of their routine now. Sora lay on the bunk across from her, fiddling with his phone as well, face screwed up in concentration, not quite understanding the device.</p><p>She turns in on with no problem, and checks the little popup message first thing.</p><p>It’s a picture of a necklace. The chain is simple, but the pink stone in the center is eye catching and beautiful. It’s a very similar style to the one she already wears, has worn nearly her whole life, but the jewel at the bottom looks real, unlike the faux pearl in hers (not that she would ever give up her childhood relic).</p><p>The return address is a blank and meaningless string of numbers. Huh.</p><p>Across the way Sora grunts, scowling. He’s managed to turn his phone on but hasn’t gotten much farther than that. Kairi is about to offer to help when a voice springs from his speakers, startling them both and causing Sora to drop the device.</p><p>“Hello! Are you having troubl- woah!” The voice shouts as the device bounces off the floor. Sora rushes to pick it up, and Kairi leans forward, curious.</p><p>“Who are you?” Sora asks once he has phone in hand. He stays seated on the floor, nudging himself over so Kairi can see too.</p><p>“Hello!” There’s an image on the screen, and it looks just like Sora had when he’d left the islands almost two years ago. She blinks and tilts her head in confusion. “I’m Sora. Well, kind of. I’m a data version of you!”</p><p>“A data… version?” Sora asks. Kairi is just as lost.</p><p>“How?” She follows up. “Why?”</p><p>“Uhhh…” The little image scratches his cheek in a classic awkward Sora movement. “I came from the journal, when Chip and Dale used their data simulation tech on it. I don’t really understand it myself, but we wanted to help, so they imported us into the phones!”</p><p>“We?” Kairi was just going to skim past the rest of that. She suspected it wasn’t going to get any more clear.</p><p>“Me and Riku!” Data Sora chirps. “I was just part of the journal, but Riku <em> is </em> the journal. He was made to kinda.. Safeguard it, I guess. But now that the journal’s kinda defunct, he’s here too! He’s just kinda shy so he might not say much.”</p><p>Her phone buzzes, and she finds another message, this time a text. The sender reads “Data Riku”.</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> We can assist you with the use of these devices, as well as help coordinate with other users</p><p>“Wow.” Sora is impressed, and she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t too. “Are there others?”</p><p>Data Sora shakes his head, and then pauses.</p><p>“Well, kinda, but not really. Roxas was there, and so was Naminé, but for some reason they didn’t stick around. They both faded after we finished going through the journal for clues, so it’s just me and Riku.”</p><p>Kairi’s phone buzzes again.</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> Speaking of, I will send you an overview of said clues for you to go through later. There isn’t much, but there are some hints as to what happened to Ventus’ friends I think you guys could look into.</p><p>A second buzz.</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> [attachment: vaguehintswhy.txt]</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> … ignore the filename please</p><p>Kairi snorts a laugh. That was Riku all right, a complete dork for all he pretends otherwise. She shows it to Sora, who laughs.</p><p>“So I have you and Kairi has Riku?” Sora asks, looking back to his own phone. Data Sora shakes his head.</p><p>“Nope, we can move between all the phones at will as long as there’s service.”</p><p><em>     Data Riku: </em> Please don’t go where there isn’t service, or if you do, don’t let these devices get destroyed. If there’s service and one gets wrecked,</p><p><em>     Data Riku: </em> we can jump to another one, but if there isn’t we don’t know what would happen to us.</p><p>“Noted.” Kairi nods. No pressure.</p><p>“Hey.” Sora pauses, chewing on his lip. “Can you tell me who sent that picture, the one with the ice cream?”</p><p>Kairi looks up. Sora had gotten a mystery picture too?</p><p>“Looks like the sender was IDuser: 137731-”</p><p>“Yeah but who <em> sent </em> it?” Sora persists. The data image winces.</p><p>“Sorry me, I can’t tell you that.”</p><p>"Why not?"</p><p>"It's against my code."</p><p>Sora sags, but accepts it.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“Come on,” Data Sora consoles. “Let me walk you through setting this place up to make it easier for you..”</p><p>The two fall into setting up their new phones, mostly in silence.</p><p>Kairi tries not to wonder what it means that she has no place in Sora’s journal.</p><p>Her phone buzzes.</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> You seem distressed. Can I help?</p><p>Kairi hesitates, but it’s getting late now, and even Sora is clearly dozing off now. She types back.</p><p><em>      PowerPrincess: </em> It’s nthing. feeling a little insecure. I’ll get over it.</p><p>The reply takes a moment. How like Riku, she thinks. Every response measured and weighed before being shown.</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> You don’t have to tell me, but I am willing to listen.</p><p>She ponders his offer. It would be nice, to have someone to talk to about this. Sora might get the wrong idea, and Donald would just felt strange to talk about this. Goofy might have some surprising advice, but he was sound asleep right now and she’d hate to wake him.</p><p>She was aware of the irony that it was a version of Riku that she might talk about this to though.</p><p><em>      PowerPrincess: </em> Why wasnt i in the journal?</p><p>Another long pause.</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> Don’t read too much into it. Ven and Vanitas weren’t either, if you don’t count their manifestations as some of Data Sora’s powers</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> Which you also made an appearance as.</p><p>That did make her feel a little better actually, but her heart still felt heavy. She still felt.. Left behind, somehow.</p><p><em>      PowerPrincess: </em> I guess.</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em>It’s hard, to care. I know. Don’t lose hope.</p><p>Hope? Hope for what?</p><p><em>      PowerPrincess: </em> What do yu mean?</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> Patience.</p><p>Cryptic. But apparently no more answers were going to be found there. Kairi idly goes through the settings again, stumbling across the mystery number and image text as she does. She pauses, and after a long moment goes into the setting with her newfound skills and changes it.</p><p><em>       IDuser:137731 </em> changed to <em> ???? </em></p><p>-</p><p>Kairi doesn’t know what she was expecting from a place called the Pridelands… but it wasn’t this.</p><p>“What the heck?” Sora, and it has to be Sora, shakes a furry head, stumbling up onto two, then four feet. “Are we… animals?”</p><p>Kairi leverages herself up, looking down at her own thin, furry fore.. Legs? Surprisingly dainty paws greet her at the ends. She gives herself a shake and nearly topples over.</p><p>“Looks like it.” She agrees, and looks up at Sora again. “I think you’re a lion, like the ones we saw in that book.” Though his mane isn’t quite as impressive as the ones she’s remembering. Maybe because they’re still kids?</p><p>“You might be right.” He says, looking himself over. “Aw man, how am I supposed to hold a keyblade like this?”</p><p>Kairi considers this. A normal sword won’t work very well for her either like this, but….</p><p>“Maybe we should have brought Donald.” Sora laments. “You don’t really need hands for magic.”</p><p>They’d split up after the events of yesterday, Donald and Goofy going in search of the King and more leads, while Sora and Kairi went to the new world on the map. The Captain and Magician hadn’t really been enthused by the plan, wanting to stick by Sora (as directed by both the King and their hearts), but Sora and Kairi had managed to convince them, saying that they’d stick together, and they could cover more ground this way now that they had an easier way of staying in contact.</p><p>A thought forms in Kairi’s mind.</p><p>“Hey!” A voice calls out. “What are you doin’ here?”</p><p>Kairi and Sora look up, seeing three new animals along the cliff edges nearby, looking down at them. One especially has a cunning look Kairi doesn’t like.</p><p>“Oh, uh, we’re just passing through-” Sora says, but the cunning one scoffs.</p><p>“I wasn’t asking you, lunchmeat.” She says. “I was talking to her.”</p><p>“Me?” Kairi blinks, surprised. The manic looking one giggles dementedly.</p><p>“Yeah, you.” The third one says. “You feel special kid. Doesn’t take much to see that.”</p><p>“We have.. A proposition for you.” The cunning one continues. Several of the others move closer, making both of them step back cautiously.</p><p>“I don’t.. Know if I’m comfortable..” Kairi hesitates, thrown by the unexpected nature of the conversation. Sora tries to put himself between Kairi and the strangers, but he’s soon crowded out.</p><p>“Just hear us out.” The cunning one allays, hopping down to move closer, invading their space but keeping her head bowed almost deferentially. “See, we might have made a mistake, a while ago.”</p><p>“His name is Scar.” The third one says. The manic one makes a gagging noise.</p><p>“We’d lost our own leader, and he promised us everything we could have ever dreamed.” The cunning one makes a face. “And now it’s led us here, starving and no better off than we were before. Shows us for listening to lions.”</p><p>“And what does that have to do with us?” Sora asks. The manic one snaps at his muzzle, missing him by inches and making Sora flinch back.</p><p>“I <em> said,” </em> The cunning one growls. “That we are not <em> talking to you.” </em></p><p>“He’s with me.” Kairi says, summoning her courage and solidifying her stance and voice as much as she can. It’s a farce, but it only needs to be strong enough to fool these strangers. “If you hurt him I don’t care what your proposition is, I won’t hear it.”</p><p>“Fine. Banzai?” The cunning one jerks her head. The third one huffs, but drags the manic one away from Sora.</p><p>“So. We need a leader, one who’ll tell Scar where to shove it. You feel special, you could be just what we need.” She continues as if nothing happened. Kairi frowns.</p><p>“Why can’t <em> you </em> do that?”</p><p>“You’re not from around here, are you kid? Lineage. Around here you gotta have the<em> right </em> to lead, you can’t just <em> do </em> it.”</p><p>“That’s dumb.” Sora mutters, though it seems only the manic one heard him, judging by his growl.</p><p>“You don’t know my lineage, what makes you think I have that right?”</p><p>“We don’t.” The cunning one answers. “Which is why you’re perfect. No one knows, so we can say whatever we want.”</p><p>Kairi looks over at Sora, who shrugs. She feels Naminé tremble inside her, feeling too many things to process at once.</p><p>“I’d need some time to think about it.” She says, keeping her voice even to brook no argument. “We came here searching for someone, and I won’t put off my search.”</p><p>“Very well.” The cunning one bows her head. “When you take us up on it, just come back here. Ask for Shenzi.”</p><p>“Of course. Good day, Shenzi.”</p><p>And then the pack all but vanishes, disappearing into various caves and cliffsides, leaving Sora and Kairi alone in the gorge.</p><p>Kairi’s knees go weak, and she sinks to her belly. Sora crouches next to her in concern.</p><p>“I’m okay.” She assures. “That was just.. Kinda scary.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He agrees. “I wasn’t sure if they were gonna eat us or make you Queen.”</p><p>Kairi thinks about how hungrily some of them had been looking at Sora, and thinks it might have been both.</p><p>“Why me, though?” She wonders as she pulls herself to her feet. Paws? Whatever.</p><p><em> “I mean, you kinda look like them.” </em> Naminé offers quietly from within her heart. <em> “I think you’re the same type of animal.” </em></p><p>Kairi tries to look herself over, and though she can’t see much, she can see enough similarities to concede Sora’s point. She’s got more of a pink hue to her fur than any of the ones they had seen, but the shape and patterns were more or less the same.</p><p>“Come on,” She says. “Let’s get out of here.”</p><p>-</p><p>“I wonder what Riku would look like here.” Sora wonders as they exit the desolate yet cramped space of the elephant graveyard.</p><p>“We’d recognize him no matter what he looks like.” Kairi says. Sora nods, buoyed by her confidence.</p><p>“Of course!” He says with cheer. “But I wonder what animal he’d be.”</p><p>“Hmm.” Kairi considers that. She only stumbles over her own feet sometimes now. It took them both a bit to get used to their new forms, but once they do Kairi and Sora both find them to be a lot of fun. “An antelope, maybe?”</p><p>“Why an antelope?” Sora asks, curious.</p><p>“He’s so graceful.” She answers. “All those ballet classes, y’know? What about you, what do you think he’d be?”</p><p>“I was thinking maybe a zebra, but I think antelope suits him better actually.” Sora admits. Kairi laughs.</p><p>“Zebra? Because of his hair?”</p><p>“Yeah! Not a lot of white animals really.”</p><p>Kairi snorts.</p><p>“Not a lot of pink ones either.” She tosses her head, accentuating the decidedly non-natural tones of her fur.</p><p>“Fair enough.” Sora rubs the back of his paw across his cheek, acknowledging the point.</p><p>And then they run into heartless.</p><p>Sora fumbles with his keyblade for only a moment before figuring how how to make it work with his mouth. Kairi has a slightly different idea.</p><p>She calls on her magic like always, feeling the sharp spikes of ice flowing through her veins, but instead of shaping it into a blade like she normally would, she pushes it out of her skin, creating a thick layer of spiked ice around her shoulders.</p><p>She ducks her head and launches herself at the heartless, feeling victorious as the spikes tear through the darkness and disperse it. She feels Naminé form above her as much as she sees her, and across the way she sees Ventus appear next to Sora. They look as human as they always do, which is to say only nominally, disappointing Kairi. She’d thought perhaps they would be animals too, but apparently not. The heartless stumble, stunned by a wave of magic from Naminé, and Kairi rolls into them again with glee.</p><p>She hears Sora laughing across the way.</p><p>Was this what it was like, she wonders, when they were on the islands and Sora and Riku were always play-fighting? The exhilaration and joy as the blows connect?</p><p>She’s starting to understand why they did it so much. She thinks she might start joining them once they’re all together again.</p><p>-</p><p>She gets a text that night. It’s an image, a picture of someone’s hair clip, adorned with a series of intricate looking flowers. Her favourites, Camellia’s, feature prominently. She loves it.</p><p>     UserID <em> ????? </em> changed to <em> Antelope? </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>gummiphones exist very early in this universe bc quite frankly  i did not want to do a coded segment. that being said very little changed about coded except that there was 100% less memory loss, and namine was m u c h less vague in her final deliverance (but still pretty vague, to Data Riku's dismay). i also just thought them having phones (and the data boys) would be fun, what can i say.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Ravens</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Return to Twilight Town</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>yknow that writer thing where you write out a thing not thinking much of it at the time but then like four chapters later realize it was actually a stroke of genius? that was this section. for several reasons, one of which im still working out the fine details on. so look forward to that :P</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sora wakes with a wince, trying to rub his neck before remembering his joints are in all the wrong places and it becomes an awkward paw across fuzzy ears instead. They’ve been in the Pridelands a few weeks now, but he had a feeling he would never be totally used to not having hands.</p><p>Kairi’s still awake, looking up at the stars. Technically she’s on watch, but Rafiki’s nook on Pride Rock is the safest place they’ve been in this world, despite how close it is to the epicenter of its current darkness. </p><p>Sora rolls over, not really wanting to go back to sleep but knowing he should. It would be a lot easier to sleep if things didn’t get so tense with Roxas every time he dropped down to the heart stations. </p><p>He feels his phone buzz as much as he hears it, and he pulls it out of the nebulous abyss that is his pockets on this world. Though managing the controls with wide paws is awkward, he manages.</p><p>It’s an empty text with an attached image, one of several similar ones he’d been getting lately. This time the image shows people bustling about a busy town square, setting up what appear to be festival lights. He recognizes the world, though he doesn’t think he saw that particular bit of city. It’s Mulan and Mushu’s world. He wonders if it’s a celebration for the defeat of Shan Yu from when they were there last time.</p><p>“You’ve been getting them too?” Kairi asks, and he looks up to see her staring at his phone. There’s no return number, no indication who sent the text. There never is.</p><p>“Yeah.” Sora nods. “It’s always just.. Little things. Celebrations, and food and stuff.”</p><p>Kairi nods.</p><p>“Sometimes it’s seashells, or a fizzy drink that looks so good.” She says. “One time it was a video, showing this cool kickboxing move. I wanna try it out some time.”</p><p>Sora is quiet, scrolling up through the texts. He’d tried texting back, more than a few times even, but had never gotten a response. He stops on a picture, clearly taken from outside a shop window, of a cake. It had been sent on his birthday, just recently, and had little pieces of fruit scattered around the top. It looked so good.</p><p>“There’s a lot of them, but they never reply to me, or answer any of my questions.” Sora grumps.</p><p>“An average of 1.8 incoming messages per day!” Data Sora pipes in. Kairi laughs. Sora huffs, scrolling back up to the image of the cake.</p><p>The window reflection, fuzzy as it was, showed only a black coat... but it wasn’t hard to put the pieces together.</p><p>“He’s not very subtle, is he?” Kairi laughs, just a little. Sora smiles, though his heart isn’t quite in it.</p><p>“I don’t understand why he won’t just… come see us.” Sora says morosely. Kairi sighs, and moves over to slump next to him.</p><p>“I don’t know, but I’m done waiting.” She says. “I vote next time Haru stops by we don’t let him go until he takes us to Riku.”</p><p>This time, Sora does laugh.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s do it! No more running.”</p><p>“Data’s, no warning him in advance!” Kairi admonishes. Data Sora mime’s zipping his lips and Data Riku gives her a text that simply says “ -_- “</p><p>They giggle together under the endless stars, spirits lifted by their new plan.</p><p>“Donald’s gonna be mad.” Sora says, but he’s smiling. He’s not really worried about it. Kairi snorts.</p><p>“Well he can suck it up. We’ve missed him for too long.”</p><p>“I turned down being a lion king because I knew he wouldn’t have allowed it, so he owes me anyway.” Sora lifts his head. Kairi barks a laugh.</p><p>“You wouldn’t want to be king anyway. It’s a lot of work, I don’t envy Simba at all if he decides to do it.”</p><p>Sora groans and rolls onto his back.</p><p>“But it’s so cooool..”</p><p>“Yeah up until you gotta run everything.” She flicks him with the fluff of her tail. “I’d rather be a knight instead.”</p><p>“I know you’re a princess but how do you know what being King is like?” He peers over at her and she blows air in his face.</p><p>“I’m a different kind of princess, and it’s cause I was in school while you were off being lazy and sleeping for a year.”</p><p>“Hey.” Sora protests, but Kairi just pokes him, making it clear for the joke it was. The two settle back down.</p><p>"It's not like I want to be a princess either, really." Kairi says quietly, staring up at the stars.</p><p>"What would you want to be instead?" Sora asks, curious. She hums.</p><p>"A knight." She says. "A protector. I want to <em>protect</em> the princess."</p><p>Sora chuckles.</p><p>"You should have told us before, I'm sure me or Riku wouldn't have minded playing the princess sometimes."</p><p>"Riku? No way." Kairi snorts. Sora shrugs, admitting that Riku would never have coped with being made to sit passively. The thought occurs to him that maybe the princess didn't <em>have</em> to be passive, necessarily, but young him hadn't thought about it, and they all felt a bit too old and worn to play such simple games now anyway.</p><p>"Okay fair enough. <em>I</em> would have done it, though."</p><p>"Thanks, Sora." She smiles.</p><p>The stars wheel slowly overhead, an endless, beautiful reminder of what they were missing.</p><p>“You think Pete meant what he said about like.. The Darkness and stuff?” Sora asks. Kairi shrugs.</p><p>“There’s always Darkness.” She answers. “Just like there’s always light. Ven and Vani taught us that. Pete’s just blowing smoke I bet.”</p><p>Sora pauses like he’s listening on the inside, and she waits.</p><p>“Yeah.” He says finally. “Whatever it is, we can take it. Pete’s no big deal.”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>-</p><p>Pete <em> was </em> no big deal, running at the first sign of trouble, even if his words were ominous. The players gathered around Pride Rock, and the pieces seem ready to be played.</p><p>The lions cluster together, forming a protective circle around their own, Simba and Scar face off at the top of the sheer rocks, and the hyena’s growl and snap threateningly.</p><p>Shenzi faces them down at the head of the pack, but she seems more thoughtful than anything. Kairi steps forward, but she says nothing, staring the other hyena down with a grim expression.</p><p>“Last chance.” Shenzi says. Kairi frowns, knowing exactly what she’s offering.</p><p>“You don’t need me.” Kairi answers. “You never did.”</p><p>Shenzi looks up at the cliffs, where Simba dodges a wild attack from Scar. Bells ring through the air as Sora casts cure. The back of Scars paws skirt the edge of the wall.</p><p>“It’s too late.” Shenzi says. Banzai looks between them, not quite following. Kairi shakes her head.</p><p>“It’s never too late.” She says with all the conviction she can. “I believe you can do the right thing.”</p><p>Scar tumbles from the cliff, but he’s not at all done as he pulls himself to his feet.</p><p>“What are you doing?” He snarls. “Attack them!”</p><p>Shenzi gives him a long, slow look, transferring her gaze between him and Kairi.</p><p>“You know…” She says lowly. “Maybe we had the wrong target.”</p><p>-</p><p>Sora and Kairi say their goodbyes. Things are tense, but they hope maybe the tentative peace will hold now that Scar is no longer part of the equation.</p><p>"I'm no one's Queen." Sora hears Kairi say, but he doesn't think she's really talking to him. "And I won't sit back and watch anymore. I'll fight. No matter what."</p><p>-</p><p>When Sora drops that night, things are strange.</p><p>Vanitas and Ventus are over on Roxas’ heart station, surrounded by the ever-solidifying wisps of Xion and memory windows. That isn’t the part that’s strange. Ventus gives him a cheery wave. That’s normal too. What isn’t normal is that Roxas is on Sora’s heart station, back turned to him. Sora tilts his head in confusion.</p><p>Roxas doesn’t move, though he clenches his fists a few times. Sora wonders if he’s going to get decked.</p><p>“I’m..” Roxas starts, and then falters. Sora hears him sigh in frustration. “You make it really hard to hate you, you know.”</p><p>Sora laughs, a little surprised.</p><p>“Vanitas used to say that too.” He answers, and then hesitates. “Did you wanna talk?”</p><p>Roxas finally turns to face him, and to Sora’s relief he looks a little less stressed out than he has in the past, though he still seems tired and sad. Sora crosses the gap between them and leads Roxas to the edge of the station, where they can sit and let their feet dangle over the edge.</p><p>“I’m not apologizing.” Roxas says. “Because I’m not sorry. I’m angry, and Axe-” His breath stutters, and Sora wants to reach out, pull him into a hug, but isn’t sure how well such a motion would be received, so he flounders. Roxas takes a deep breath.</p><p>“Axel used to say that people need to.. Let themselves feel out their emotions before they can process them. That’s why they acted irrationally sometimes, because they weren’t done processing them.” A memory window flickers into existence, showing a couple fighting as Roxas and Axel watch from nearby rooftops. The image of Axel shrugs, something sad and wistful about him. Roxas waves the memory away. “I didn’t get it at the time.”</p><p>“That is true though.” Sora starts, trying to feel out his words before he says them, sensing the tenuous nature of this talk. “Sometimes feeling is hard, and we don’t always get it.. But that’s not an excuse for hurting someone either.”</p><p>Roxas is quiet.</p><p>“Was that directed at me, or Riku?” He asks. Sora shrugs.</p><p>“Both. Neither. Nothing that happened was okay, but at the same time.. I understand why it did. I just wish it didn’t, which is why I’m gonna try and make it right.”</p><p>Roxas kicks out his feet, watching the dark black of his coat flutter with the movement.</p><p>“I guess I’m sorry for hurting you then. Van was right, you didn’t ask for this any more than we did.”</p><p>Sora blinks.</p><p>“You didn’t hurt me.”</p><p>“I haven’t exactly been nice to you either.” Roxas snorts. Sora shrugs nonchalantly.</p><p>“It’s fine. I knew why you were angry.”</p><p>Roxas stares, and then starts to laugh.</p><p>“What?” Sora asks, confused. Roxas shakes his head, still laughing.</p><p>“DiZ was right, you are too nice.” He leans back, closing his eyes. “That’s okay, I’ll be angry for the both of us.”</p><p>-</p><p>“Why <em> did </em> you agree to help us?” Haru asks. Zexion looks up from his notes, mildly annoyed but entertaining the interruption with as much grace as he could manage. </p><p>“After my expulsion from the ranks of the Organization this was the best way to continue what I do best; research. It also put me in the best place as to enact my own machinations. Any other foolish questions?”</p><p>It wasn’t a lot of grace, all things considered, but it was as much as he could manage. </p><p>“Your own machinations huh. Care to share?” Haru kept pressing, and Zexion pursed his lips in irritation.</p><p>“No.” Was the flat answer, and Zexion turned back to his notes with a clear dismissal.</p><p>“DiZ has flown the coop.” Haru continues, ignoring it. “If this is really about him then why didn’t you go after him before when we knew where he was?”</p><p>“Clearly no mind for tactics, have you?” Zexion huffs. “When I joined this homely menagerie it was on the condition I not attack him immediately, or have you forgotten?”</p><p>“Not at all. But he’s gone now, so why are you still here?”</p><p>“DiZ clearly had plans for Sora. You are all keeping an eye on Sora. It suits me to continue this pursuit while the rest of you do the hard work and keep me in the loop.” The excitement of having a project as big and complex as what he was attempting now was merely a nice bonus. Vexen’s influence no doubt.</p><p>“Hm.” Haru hums, and blessedly falls silent. Zexion makes a few idle calculations, but in truth he’s still stuck on the same wall he was before. The notes Saïx had managed to get him via Axel had helped, but they were clearly incomplete. He found himself idly wishing for Vexen, if only to bounce ideas off of. His mentor ran at a near frenetic pace when it came to his work, but Ienzo had always found that exhilarating. Even had never talked down to him. He’d appreciated that. </p><p>He taps his pen against a half complete series of hypotheses. Maybe he should take up his old name again in truth, rather than as merely a cover to throw the organization off his trail. He had a heart now after all, didn’t he? Perhaps it was incomplete, but even an incomplete heart could still feel, and it would only grow with time if what he had seen of both himself and others was true. </p><p>He briefly considers taking a new name entirely before dismissing it wholesale. No, he didn’t need a new name. He wanted his old one back, the one that had been stolen from him along with everything else. </p><p>“Did you know Roxas very well?” Haru speaks again, and Ienzo nearly snaps his pen. </p><p>“Are you still here?” He snaps. Haru tilts his head with an infuriatingly unaffected stare. Ienzo has used it often himself to throw opponents off and he hates that it’s working against him. </p><p>Ienzo glares, refusing to answer. Eventually, Haru takes the hint and leaves. Ienzo grumbles as he picks up a cloth to wash away the splattered ink from his pen. He’ll have to transcribe these equations to a new page, but that will be no problem. It’s mostly the lost time he’s annoyed with. </p><p>He <em> had </em> known Roxas before his exodus, if only briefly, he ruminates as he cleans his workstation. Roxas was the biggest hint that something was amiss with Xemnas’ insistence that they didn’t have hearts, one they had all foolishly ignored. After all, if the affectation of emotion was merely the memory of it, how does a nobody with no memories simulate the act of emoting?</p><p>All except Axel, he must amend, though he hates to admit it. Something had happened in the castle to make Axel notice things were amiss, and Ienzo has the sneaking suspicion it has to do with Sora. </p><p>But no matter, he thinks as he retakes his seat and pulls out a fresh page to write on, what’s done is done. He has goals to focus on in the now. </p><p>-</p><p>“So this is Twilight Town, huh?” Kairi does a little circle as she takes in the quaint buildings and steep roads. Sora trails along behind her, enjoying the moment but distracted by the complicated nostalgia pouring off both Roxas and Xion now.</p><p>They both spent a lot of time here.</p><p>The feeling only grows when they’re spotted by a familiar set of kids, who run up to greet them with enthusiasm, a stark contrast to their first meeting. </p><p>“Sora!” Ollete greets. “Is this your friend?” She looks towards Kairi, who shuffles, embarrassed. </p><p>“Yes- well no, not the one I said I’d bring. But she <em> is </em> a friend!” Sora stutters. Donald laughs at him. </p><p>“Kairi is one of Sora’s very special friends.” Goofy says with a nod. </p><p>“Still gotta find the other one though.” Donald teases. Sora flushes. </p><p>“Anyway, we were just passing through. What were you guys doing?” He asks. Hayner shrugs. </p><p>“Just hanging. Trying to figure out when we should go to the beach.”</p><p>Sora’s heart clenches, and he knows it’s from Roxas. </p><p><em> “I’m not ready.” </em> Is all his other says though. He tries to send comfort in return. He won’t push Roxas, there will be time for that later, when he <em> is </em> ready. </p><p>Plus they’re still only.. Tentatively okay with each other. He doesn’t want to upset that balance if he can help it.</p><p>“We gotta get our homework done though, and Hayner is dragging his feet.” Pence huffs. Hayner waves off his reprimand with a grin. </p><p>“Ah c’mon, homework is lame anyway. Wouldn’t you rather go watch the struggle tournament instead?”</p><p>“You didn’t enter?” Sora asks on behalf of Roxas, who is surprised. Hayner rubs his shoulder. </p><p>“Nah. Heart wasn’t really in it since these two losers wouldn’t compete with me.”</p><p>“You <em> know </em> I’m busy with my triathlon stuff.” Ollete admonishes. “And we would’ve come to cheer you on!”</p><p>“Ahh it’s fine. Maybe next year I’ll have someone to compete with.”</p><p>“I’ll make sure of it.” Sora blurts before he can think better of it. Kairi bites her lip while Donald and Goofy exchange a look. </p><p>“This wouldn’t have anything to do with that person we might know, would it?” Pence asks, an inquisitive look crossing his features. Sora gives a resigned smile. </p><p>“Uh, maybe?”</p><p>“Oh, Sora.” Donald shakes his head. </p><p>“Maybe we should just tell them.” Goofy offers. Sora shakes his head. </p><p>“No, Ro- they said not to!”</p><p>“I think it might be a bit late for that.” Kairi offers, and Sora looks across the trio and the varying degrees of determination across them. </p><p>“You got that right.” Ollete puts her hands on her hips. “Why won’t this mystery person meet us?”</p><p>“And who are they?” Pence continues.</p><p>“And why..” Hayner looks straight at Sora, expression serious. “Is it so easy to believe we’re missing someone?”</p><p>Sora looks between them, lost. Roxas feels a deep anxiety, but he doesn’t tell him to stop, so Sora plows ahead. </p><p>“It’s.. kinda complicated?” He offers. “Maybe it’d be easier to show you.”</p><p>Roxas is caught between fear and anxiety but he says nothing, the tiniest threads of hope running through it all. </p><p>The mansion is exactly how they remember it. Pence talks about how people (and himself) think the mansion might be haunted. Roxas laughs, sounding only a little bitter. Sora is silent. Kairi takes his hand in solidarity. </p><p>They make their way into the basement (Kairi deliberately avoiding looking towards the door to Naminé’s room) and let the Twilight Town kids look around for a bit before Sora starts to explain. </p><p>“This is.. a computer room, where a guy named DiZ made an alternate Twilight Town out of data.”</p><p>Pence is the first to catch on. </p><p>“With people, or just a simulation?”</p><p>“With people.” Sora nods. “A bunch of the towns residents, including you guys.”</p><p>The three look a bit uncomfortable at that, but Ollete has a question. </p><p>“But why?”</p><p>Sora takes a deep breath. </p><p>“I don’t know all the details, but some stuff happened and I kinda got… split in two? And in order to put me back together again they had to put my other half into this simulation so he’d cooperate while they worked.”</p><p>“You know this sounds crazy right? You can’t split a person in two.” Hayner challenges. Sora chuckles, rubbing the back of his head. </p><p>“It’s weird.. but it’s true.” Kairi interjects. “The same thing happened to me, and to someone else we know.”</p><p>“I am <em> so </em> curious how that works.” Pence says, leaning forward and rubbing his chin. Hayner huffs. </p><p>“You’re not really buying into this are you?”</p><p>“Well, why don’t you guys just show them?” Goofy suggests. Everyone blinks at him. </p><p>“What does <em> that </em> mean?” Ollete asks. </p><p>“When our other halves rejoined with us.. they didn’t disappear.” Kairi says. “Their time apart from us made them into their own people, so even though they returned to us, we can never truly become what we were before. So now we can call on them sometimes to help us while we search for a way for all of us to exist separately.”</p><p>“So show us then.” Hayner crosses his arms. Kairi looks over at Sora, who shakes his head. </p><p>“He’s not ready.”</p><p>“Okay.” Kairi nods and then looks over at the other kids. “Tell me if you guys start to feel sick or confused, she has a pretty good handle on her powers but just in case I don’t you guys to get hurt.”</p><p>And then Naminé forms between them, all ghostly white with pale blue fading in at the edges. </p><p>“Woah.” Hayner steps back even as Ollete steps forward curiously. </p><p>“She didn’t always look like this.” Kairi continues. “It’s only since we rejoined. Before that she had blond hair and blue eyes, but the same build as me.”</p><p>Naminé looks around, arms crossed and shrinking in on herself. Ollete reaches out and takes her hand on impulse, making Naminé startle a little. Something passes between the two. </p><p>“She seems… sad.” Ollete murmurs.</p><p>“She spent a lot of time here, and it’s not very good memories. Thank you Naminé, you can go back now if you want.”</p><p>Naminé nods, and then vanishes as quickly as she arrived. Ollete brings her now empty hand to her chest. </p><p>“The girl in the window…” Pence mutters. </p><p>“So your friend-” Hayner looks over at Sora, putting the pieces together startlingly fast. Sora nods.</p><p>“My other, who was put in the Data Twilight Town, with other versions of you.” Sora pulls out his phone. “Hey me, could you get that picture Haru sent us?” He still has the original, but he keeps it with Roxas’ pouch in a chest on the gummi ship, not wanting to risk its safety while he was out fighting heartless. Thankfully, he’d taken a picture of it to keep on his phone a while back as a backup.</p><p>“Can do!” Data Sora chirps, and a moment later a picture of a photo pops up on screen. Roxas smiles from the static picture in front of the mansion, surrounded by friends he’d never known. Sora hands it to the Twilight Town kids.</p><p>“Oh that’s so weird.” Pence pulls out an identical photograph, only missing Roxas from the background.</p><p>“Yeah.” Hayner breathes. He looks up at Sora. “But that doesn’t explain why we.. feel things? Like we’re missing him, even though we never actually knew him.”</p><p>“Hearts are funny things. Sometimes they can connect us without even knowing it.” Kairi offers. Her phone buzzes.</p><p><em>      Data Riku: </em> It’s true, and corroborated by Ien’s data research thus far.</p><p>“So.. What do we do?” Ollete asks, always the practical one. Sora rubs the back of his neck.</p><p>“Right now we’re trying to find a way so they can exist on their own again, but we haven’t had much luck.”</p><p>“We thought maybe if we came back here we’d find more clues, or maybe another lead.” Kairi nods.</p><p>“Well, maybe we can help then!” Pence offers. Ollete agrees with a smile.</p><p>“A fresh set of eyes definitely can’t hurt.”</p><p>Sora looks over at Hayner, feels Roxas’ hope swelling in his chest before Hayner turns and walks into the next room without a word.</p><p>Sora’s breath leaves him all at once, feeling Roxas’ crushing disappointment.</p><p>“I’ll start on the computer.” Pence says, pulling him out of his reverie and distracting him.</p><p>“And I’ll check for hidden stuff. I bet money this place has some secret compartments around here.” Ollete adds, and then they’re off to the races.</p><p>Kairi takes Sora’s hand and squeezes it comfortingly.</p><p>“Is he okay?” She asks. She doesn’t need to clarify who.</p><p>“Not really.” Sora whispers. “Hayner…”</p><p>“He’ll come around.” She asserts. “It’s all a bit weird. He probably just needs some time to get used to it.”</p><p>Sora nods, a slow smile forming.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re probably right.”</p><p>Kairi opens her mouth to speak, but a shout and a clatter from the other room interrupts her, and they all jerk towards the noise.</p><p>“Hayner!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry about the cliffhanger, it really is just where the chapter break happened to pan out... but i am *also* just a little bit evil :3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Three On A Match</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>For a quiet little mountain village, a lot of things seem to happen in Twilight Town.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>no real notes today, mostly just tryina keep our heads above water emotionally speaking. hope everyone's staying safe.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The group bursts through the doorway in a panic and are confronted with the faceless and shifting features of numerous nobodies. Hayner pulls himself backwards from where he had either fallen or been knocked over, away from the creatures in surprise and fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A Samurai raises it’s sword, Duel Stance ready, and Sora knows he’s too far away to stop the blade from coming down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hayner seems to sense it too, prone and unable to move quickly where he is, and can do no more than raise a warding hand and close his eyes, waiting for the blow to land and hoping he’d live through it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Clang!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hayner looks up, hearing the clash and feeling no pain, and finds himself facing the back of what looks almost like another nobody… and yet somehow not. It’s blade pushes the samurai’s back almost effortlessly, and its scarf flutters in an unfelt wind. Hayner blinks wide eyes, and then the being springs into motion, slicing through the aggressive nobodies still milling around them. A moment later it’s joined by Sora and Kairi, both whooping in adrenaline. Hayner pulls himself to his feet, shakes himself off, and steels his expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grabs a bit of pipe laying near the wall, some forgotten attempt at renovating the basement interior, and runs forward, determined to help.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The new nobody, the one that had saved him, whirls to face him, faltering in it’s aggressive takedown of the other nobodies to… almost stare at him with a sense of wonder. Hayner just grins; he may not know what’s happening, but he knows a friend when he sees one, and the two fall into sync, lining up their blows and movements in tandem, much like how Sora and Kairi do nearby.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One by one, the nobodies fall, until finally, something strange happens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only two Samurai, a single dusk, and three creepers remain, and they… stop. Unnaturally so, for creatures that were literally always in motion. Sora tilts his head curiously, and looks over to Kairi, who shrugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looks over at the newest addition, who floats toward the group, blade in hand but not at the ready. It looks a little like a warped version of Oathkeeper, she notices.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If some communication happens, even Sora can’t hear it, but a moment later the Samurai at the head of the group bows, and they all vanish.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Roxas what was that?” Sora asks, only belatedly realizing he probably shouldn’t have revealed his name around Hayner when he wasn’t ready.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re Roxas?” Hayner asks, and Roxas shrinks away, self-conscious in a way that Sora isn’t used to seeing from him. He nods though, and after a moment's consideration at this turn of events, Hayner smiles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You really saved my butt back there. Thanks.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roxas rubs the back of his head in a gesture even Sora recognizes as having been picked up from Axel. Sora’s grin grows wider as he feels the blush Roxas would most certainly be sporting if he had a face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think he’s just glad you’re okay.” Sora offers, and is pleased when Roxas doesn’t seem offended by Sora translating for him. Roxas nods again, pauses, and then holds out a hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hayner considers it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You want to be friends?” Hayner guesses. “Like how we were in the data world?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roxas flinches, as though realizing how such an assumption might come across, and starts to pull back his hand. Before he can pull away completely Hayner reaches out and grabs it, pulling Roxas closer as he does.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey don’t be like that. We’re friends now, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roxas vanishes. Hayner blinks, surprised. He looks over at Sora, who’s still grinning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is he mad?” Hayner asks, but Sora shakes his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, just overwhelmed. Things have been rough for him so he needed to cry for a bit- aaaand now he’s mad that I told you that.” Sora huffs, voice going quieter as he turns his attention inward. “Come on Roxas, there’s no shame in- yes I know, but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kairi shakes her head with a rueful grin, turning back to Hayner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not mad at you. We promise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess that’s okay then.” Hayner nods. “I probably didn’t help with how I reacted earlier. I wasn’t thinking about how it might look until after I walked out, but I just got so focused on looking for clues, you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kairi giggles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know. I have some friends like that too. I’m sure if you explained it later he would understand.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will then.” Hayner grins. “But right now we should get back to hunting for clues!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right.” Kairi returns his infectious enthusiasm. “C’mon Sora, Roxas. Back to the mission!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora looks up, distracted from his internal conversation, and nods with a grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s not as productive a search as they’d hoped it would be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pence manages to get the computer working, but gets stuck on the access permissions. They’re not bothered by nobodies again (or heartless for that matter, which Sora in particular finds a little strange), but no hidden passages or messages reveal themselves, much to the group's disappointment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s only after it’s starting to get late that the group decides to turn in the towel and come back later. It’s with heavy hearts that they turn towards the exit-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only to open the door and find a man on the other side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both groups startle at the unexpected appearance, Sora in particular letting out a yelp as he jumps back. After realizing the solitary man is no threat he collects himself, and tilts his head in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zexion?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion rushes forward and presses his hand to Sora’s mouth with a hiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do not say that name, there are ears everywhere. Ien, or Ienzo if you must.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fhorry.” Sora mumbles through his hand, which Zexion then retracts. “It’s just, Roxas recognized you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did he now? I’m surprised, he was still quite the blank slate when I departed The World last.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The world?” Hayner mutters, looking over at Pence and Ollete. They both just shrug. Zexion turns his gaze to them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But that is beside the point, what are you all doing here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looking for clues!” Ollete chimes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To try and help Roxas.” Hayner nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I am already- wait.” Zexion pauses, hand going to his chin thoughtfully. “You’re the children Roxas befriended in the datascape.” He brushes past them, logging onto the computer with a few deft keystrokes and scanning the data.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess so.” Pence shrugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It explains why he felt so familiar.” Hayner nods. Zexion pauses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He felt- how so?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I dunno.” Hayner shrugs. “It just… felt like something was missing. And then Sora showed up, and it was like the missing piece but like… backwards?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kinda.” Ollete agrees. “And then Sora explained a little bit of what happened to Roxas…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And it just fit. Perfect.” Pence finishes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion stares at all three of them in shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You felt him, despite having never met him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hayner shrugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean we did meet him, it just.. Wasn’t the </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span> that met him, sorta.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s it.” Zexion whispers. “That’s it! Absolute proof that the connections can transcend the boundaries of- The heart, the memories, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>connection!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Oh that’s brilliant- wait-” He turns and picks up a stacks of papers, ruffling through them erratically as the group stares on in confusion. Zexion turns back to the computer, muttering incoherently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should… Should we go?” Kairi asks those around her, uncertain. Zexion whips his head up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no, I’m onto something- You!” He points at Hayner. “The data says Roxas was closest with you, come here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uhhh..” Hayner pauses, looking around for support. Sora shrugs. Roxas hadn’t really known Zexion very well, and didn’t really have much knowledge to help with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For lack of any other option, Hayner steps forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion flits back and forth, writing equations and muttering under his breath. Sometimes he takes a measurement or does a test, mostly on Hayner but occasionally on one of the others too. He’s still buzzing manically late into the night, and Ollete has to call it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look,” She yawns. “I’m glad we’re making progress, but I have a test in like..” She checks her watch, “four hours. Would it be possible to come back?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Zexion looks up from an increasingly complicated diagram he’s working on, and then glances at the time on the computer. “Ah. Right, of course. My apologies. I did not realise the time, if you would return at your convenience I would be much obliged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank goodness.” Hayner stretches with relief. “I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> ready for bed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll be back!” Pence says with a smile, and the group trots out, sans one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora pauses at the doorway, looking back into the room where Zexion is gathering his notes presumably to take back to wherever he’s hidden out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.” Sora calls, and Zexion looks up. “Roxas says you seem a lot happier than you were then. He’s glad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion blinks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know if I would say that.” He answers quietly. “We did not know each other well. But thank you, regardless.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora nods, and then leaves with the others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion looks down at the stack of papers he’s gathered in contemplation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How can I seem happier when all I’ve done is feed my anger?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora ends up wandering Twilight Town alone the next morning. Kairi wanted to check out some townside attractions while the local kids went about their daily responsibilities. He looks through gift shops and accessories idly. The magic on his fencer earring is starting to wear a bit thin, maybe he should upgrade?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He waffles between a Masters Earring and an Executive Ring before going for the Masters Earring at Vanitas’ suggestion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“A good defence is the best offence or something.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He grumbles. Sora can hear Ventus laughing in the background, presumably at the hypocrisy. Vanitas is and always will be all about the offence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he’s also aware that Sora isn’t like him, and will occasionally take a hit for a better opportunity later. Sora thinks it’s sweet that he’s taking his battle style into consideration like that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wanders down the wide streets, inspects the fading struggle posters on his way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it a quarterly thing?” Sora asks no one in particular. “Seems like they’re doing more of them, I thought Hayner said he missed this years?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Preliminaries.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ventus points out the smaller print.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “I guess they start them early.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Sora makes his way down to the Sandlot, not really on purpose, but still in that general direction. He walks in and is immediately evaluating the area for its battle potential.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wonders if that’s normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s checking out the scoreboard when the familiar noise of a portal opening sounds behind him. He whirls, not knowing whether to expect friend or foe, when a strange man with blue hair steps out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Saïx.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Roxas growls. Foe then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Isa?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ventus follows, sounding shaken. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“What </span>
  </em>
  <span>happened?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or not? Sora pauses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“His face- Oh stars-”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ven continues. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Is this what Axel meant…?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello Roxas.” Saïx says without inflection, unaware of Sora’s internal machinations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want?” Sora asks, and can’t help some of the aggressive bleed through that Roxas gives off. Saïx slowly casts his gaze from side to side, as if checking for eavesdroppers, before taking several quick steps closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grabs Sora’s jacket and leans in close to whisper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do not care how you feel about me Roxas, but if you care about Axel at all you </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> deliver this message to him; the superior is catching on, do </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> return to the castle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Why doesn’t he already know where Axel is? Why can’t he deliver it himself?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Roxas asks, and Sora agrees, relaying his words to Saïx.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I cannot risk my place any more than I already do. You have your phones do you not? Use them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think Axel has one though- What is going on?” Sora demands in his confusion, but Saïx just narrows his eyes at him and turns away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Find him then.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I cannot guarantee his safety if my warning does not reach him in time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll- I’ll try.” The weight of yet another person's life resting on his settles all too firmly on Sora. He’d thought it would get easier with how many times he’s done it, but it only seems to get heavier each time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saïx opens a portal, obviously with the intent to leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“W-wait!” Sora calls out, and then hisses under his breath. “What- no I can’t ask him that it’s rude- no look I’ll translate but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saïx turns, though not fully, all but glaring at Sora over his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A moment later, Ventus flares into existence between them. Saïx glances the floating armour up and down, clearly nonplussed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ventus summons wayward wind and shows it to Saïx, mirroring the same thing he’d done to Axel before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saïx’s brows furrow, but does not outwardly react otherwise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello Ventus.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ventus brightens, clearly pleased to be remembered. Wayward Wind vanishes and he floats closer, hands reaching out but hesitant. Saïx lets him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ven makes several aborted movements, each more frustrated and worried than the last. Finally he makes an x shape across his expressionless face with a trembling hand. It’s obvious enough what he’s asking, but Sora still translates for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He wants to know what happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saïx lets out a barely perceptible sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t matter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ven makes an exaggerated frustrated gesture. Sora agrees.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s missed a lot. He just wants to make sure you’re okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saïx laughs. Something in Ventus shrivels at how mean it sounds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We never even spoke, Ventus. You were just a stray that Lea picked up one day. That does not make you and I friends.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ventus stills, hurt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Sora calls, offended on Ven’s behalf. “So what? He still cared enough to want to know what happened, make sure you were okay, doesn’t that count for something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saïx looks down at them both imperiously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I envy you.” He turns away, cearly dismissing them. “No, we are not ‘okay’. Deliver my message.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then he walks through the portal and vanishes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What a jerk.” Sora mutters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“He is.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Roxas agrees.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “I always thought he was totally Xemnas’ lapdog, but… Maybe he’s not completely bad if he still wants to keep Axel safe.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ventus vanishes and reappears on his heart station. He shouldn’t have to sleep after an appearance so short, but he appears deep at rest anyways. Vanitas huffs. Leaving him all the work, as usual.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“He’s still a dick though.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Roxas scowls. The wispy form of Xion nods in solemn agreement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“How are we supposed to find Axel, though?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ventus asks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“We don’t know where he is or how to contact him.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Haru.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Vanitas calls, still somehow paying attention despite sitting on Roxas’ station working on Xion. Sora brightens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah! Haru should at least have an idea where to start, right? He’s supposed to be keeping in contact with everybody.” Sora exclaims, pulling out his phone. “Data Me! I need to send some messages!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ready and waiting!” Data Sora chirps. “Haru first?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Send Haru that warning thing right away.” Sora nods, then pauses. “Actually, I want to text Kairi too. Tell her…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Haru steps out of the dark portal and immediately senses something amiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d gotten Sora’s text about Axel, and while he hadn’t known exactly where Axel was, he had passed the news along in the hopes that someone would see him soon and let him know. It was the best he could do at the moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then Sora had sent a followup text, asking him to meet them as soon as he didn’t have anything urgent going on. It had an odd sense of importance to it that had pushed it to the top of his priority list, but now that he was at the designated meeting spot, he was starting to think he’d been duped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sora?” He calls out. “Goofy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a rustle from somewhere off to his left. It’s the deep of the night on this world, the alleys and cottage style houses casting dark shadows across the cobblestone streets. Haru twitches anxiously, fists opening and closing fitfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s plenty used to things hiding in the dark, but he wasn’t expecting it here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a shout and something catches him from behind. Sora lands on his shoulders as Kairi tackles him around the middle. He goes down with a strangled yelp, and is winded thoroughly as he hits the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oops.” Kairi says as he coughs, trying to inhale. It’s hard with Sora still sitting on his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry.” Sora says, peering down at the prone boy beneath him. Distantly, he can hear Donald telling them off for being so rough, and Goofy being the diplomat he always is. Haru finally manages a full breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck, Sora?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora grins and shrugs in that disarmingly adorable way of his that Haru hates works so well. Kairi pokes him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay on track!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! Right.” Sora says and then turns back to looking down at Haru.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re done waiting. You’re gonna take us to Riku, now.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>we all knew riku couldn't run forever</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Spilled Salt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reunions.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>haaaappy thursday everyone! this is my favourite kind of filler chapter, where all the characters look at each other and go 'okay look we have a LOT of shit to work out' and then.. sit down and does that. what can i say, sometimes i'm a creature of simple pleasures.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“This is…” Sora looks around the familiar landscape. “Traverse Town?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t see Riku.” Kairi is looking around as well, but as usual her focus is more lazer guided than Sora’s. Haru shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t spend much time here, mostly just to sleep. He’ll come eventually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why can’t you take us to him now?” Sora asks petulantly, a pout on his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I don’t know where he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> now. He doesn’t stay in one place much. In fact I usually had the best luck finding him while I was tailing you guys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That jerk!” Kairi shouts. “I knew it,</span>
  <em>
    <span> I knew it.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He always does that, hiding out nearby and making himself feel bad for not being included.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t we see him?” Sora says, much more subdued. “Why didn’t we know he was there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t blame yourself, Sora. He’s good at hiding when he doesn’t want to be found.” Haru says, and then louder. “Isn’t that right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora and Kairi both turn to find a tall man having just stepped out of the shadows, frozen mid-movement like he’d been caught by surprise. He’s draped in a black cloak with the hood up, but both Sora and Kairi feel their hearts skip a beat at the sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man turns to run.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, stop!” Sora calls, and though the man's step stutters he does not halt. Sora lunges forward, Kairi only a half step behind him, but they know they’re both too far away to catch him before he goes through the portal behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Naminé!” Kairi calls, and the ghostly pale form of Naminé rises from her, reaches out with an ethereal hand. Confusion hits the cloaked form like a truck as he veers to one side and lists dangerously. Sora and Kairi pounce, each taking one arm and holding determinedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nicer than what I got.” Haru grumps from a distance, but all three ignore him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riku?” Sora asks, his voice so raw and hopeful that he can feel the body he’s holding flinch. “Is it really you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man says nothing. He doesn’t try to jerk away however. In fact he holds himself so still Sora can feel the tension thrumming through him. It’s for this reason that Sora lets go, trying to move in front of him and peer into the shadows of his hood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s only then that the man reacts, self consciously tugging at his hood, turning away from Sora so he can’t see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In doing so however he turns towards Kairi, who takes full advantage of the change to pull on the coat sharply, tugging the hood down with a scowl. Sora lets out a surprised gasp and steps back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously Riku, why are you hiding from us?” She scolds, missing Sora’s reaction entirely. She stands, stance wide and hands on her hips, frowning up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“... Isn’t it obvious?” The boy wearing Ansem’s face answers. He doesn’t try to pull his hood back up, but he won’t meet either of their eyes either, head turned fully away from them. He stands tall despite the obvious urge to hunch in on himself, to hide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s obvious?” Kairi huffs. “Come on- Sora, say something to him.” She turns to Sora, and only then sees the stunned look Sora carries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“... Are you… really Riku?” Sora asks, voice a whisper. The only response the other boy gives is a slight tightening around his eyes. Kairi tilts her head in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sora what are you talking about? Of course it’s Riku, look at him!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both boys look at her then, one in confusion and the other in dawning realisation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t see him.” Riku says with something like awe. “You see </span>
  <em>
    <span>me.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I see you, what are you talking about?” Kairi says, frustration entering her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kairi,” Haru steps closer. “I don’t know how, but to all the rest of us.. He looks like Ansem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I used the darkness.” Riku admits quietly. “That road.. Goes both ways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You didn’t know?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Roxas asks from within Sora’s heart. He’s not exactly sympathetic, already on edge from the encounter with Saïx and not having any particular fondness for Riku either… but he doesn’t like how shaken Sora is by this. Something about it feels </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora takes one step forward, then another, and then picks up one of Riku’s hands with both of his. He stares down at the large hand intently, as if searching for the differences (not hard to find, Ansem’s hands were much larger then Riku’s ever had the chance to be).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riku lets him, heart in his throat despite his outward calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘calm/peace/trust’</span>
  </em>
  <span> Terra whispers inside. Riku wishes he had that confidence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifts his head to look Riku in the face, and Riku can see the tears gathering. His heart clenches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I missed you so much.” The hands holding Riku’s squeeze tightly. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sora, I…” Riku tries, but the words stick in his throat. He doesn’t know what to say. Sora hiccups, once, twice, and then his knees buckle as he sobs. Riku instinctively kneels to hold him up, keeping him from falling entirely. Sora clings to his coat like a newborn, frame shaking as he tries in vain to hold back his tears. Kairi kneels next to them, rubbing little circles into Sora’s back calmingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Sora asks, and before Riku can start to draw away at the perceived recrimination he continues. “Why did you avoid us? We missed you so much, did you really think we’d- that we’d leave you behind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did something terrible, Sora.” Riku says frankly. There’s no running from that. “And I’d do it again, to keep you safe. I didn’t deserve-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora socks him in the shoulder, the surprise stopping Riku as much as the pain. He rubs at it self consciously, agog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stupid.” Sora sniffs, rubbing at the tears. “Look, we definitely gotta talk about Roxas, but you can’t seriously- you really think I wouldn’t- we wouldn’t-” He doesn’t really know how to finish, but the point comes across clearly enough. Riku sighs, and then gives a small smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right, like always.” The smile falls. “I’m sorry, Sora, Kairi. I shouldn’t have run.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn right you shouldn’t’ve.” Kairi huffs. “It isn’t about deserving or whatever. We missed you, we wanted you here. Isn’t that enough?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a weird sense of dissonance for Sora as he watches Ansem’s face crumple and tears silently leak from the corners of his eyes. Then it passes, and Sora realises it’s Riku crying, and he pulls him close for a hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We missed you, we missed you, we missed you.” Sora chants in his ear, his own tears still falling. He reaches out blindly for Kairi, who joins without hesitation. They both hold tightly as Riku trembles between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Riku mumbles into Sora’s collar. “I’m so sorry. For everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay.” Kairi answers for both of them. “We’re okay. We’ll talk about it later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haru quietly decides he’s no longer needed here, and vanishes into the dark, confident they can sort themselves out from there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes a while for the three of them to compose themselves, each time it seemed like they would start to come back down, one would start sniffling again and set the other two off. They did manage to move themselves into an empty house nearby though, one that had some barely used furnishings and the lights on. There’s a small couch they’re all three curled up on and a rumpled futon in the corner. The remnants of breakfast and a discarded wrapper are the only other tells that someone lives here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this where you’ve been staying?” Sora asks. It’s well into the night now, and all three are tired, but none of them want to move, scared of disrupting the fragile feeling of peace now that they’re together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess.” Riku shrugs, shallowly so as not to disturb the people on either side of him overmuch. “Mostly just to sleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t say how there’s room on the gummiship (there isn’t) or how sad the conditions here are (they are), just burrows further into the nook created between his chest and his arm. To her it’s not odd at all, he looks and feels like Riku, and she has to keep reminding herself that that’s not what Sora sees at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora seems to be taking it in stride though, cuddled just as closely on Riku’s other side, knees drawn up to his chest. He chews on his lip thoughtfully, putting his thoughts in order.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should apologize to Roxas.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riku is silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He won’t accept it.” Sora continues. “But I think you should anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DiZ said..” Riku says in lieu of an answer. “They didn’t have hearts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you believed him?” Kairi manages to keep her voice level and not accusing. “When he said the same of Naminé?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” He admits. “I just wanted to believe it, because it made what I had to do easier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They lapse back into silence. Sora fiddles with the drawstrings of Riku’s hood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Sora says suddenly. Both Riku and Kairi look over to him, curious at the outburst. Sora looks over at Riku.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you remember Xion?” He asks. Riku’s brows furrow and he shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Right, of course.” Sora deflates a little but then rallies. “Well-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he can finish, the form of an armoured body materializes in the air before the couch. Clad in sharp yellows and gunmetal gray that looks as though it’s been dipped in sunset, a far cry from the formless whisp it had been for months.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Xion!” Sora sits up, grinning in his excitement. He’d never seen her form, but his heart knew her regardless. “You’re all together!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She makes a so-so gesture with an amused tilt of her head before turning to Riku. She takes one of his hands and holds it. She holds it meaningfully for a long moment before her form wavers erratically and then disappears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Xion…” Riku whispers. “I… she was….” He presses his palm to one eye, as if forestalling a headache.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She had to be erased, even more than Roxas was, to wake me up.” Sora says. “Or at least that’s what Roxas said. I hope I get to ask her side of the story now that she’s mostly back together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That… Feels right, but I don’t know why.” Riku says. “But if that’s true, then it’s just one more awful thing I’ve done that I don’t regret.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riku…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t regret it.” Riku continues. “I would have done anything to bring you back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora doesn’t know how to tell him that he doesn’t feel worth that kind of devotion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this why you never came home?” Kairi asks, and this time she’s not so successful at masking the hurt in her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s part of it.” He agrees. “What I did to you, to them… I made the islands fall to darkness because I was jealous, Kairi. What kind of person does that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A human one.” She murmurs. “What you did.. Wasn’t okay. I won’t pretend it was. But I think it matters that you realised that, that you’re trying to make it better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have I though?” He returns. “Roxas, Xion… It’s just the same thing, on a smaller scale.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vanitas says you’re…. No, I'm not saying that. He thinks you’re being dumb and it’s not the same thing at all.” Sora says, still tucked under Riku’s arm, curled into the warmth of his side. Riku had always run warm, but in this body the effect seems twofold. “I think you so too. What happened on the islands… were bad. They were really bad, but... You were hurting, weren’t you? I’m sorry we didn’t see it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels Riku’s body tremble under him, fighting desperately for control, to not break down between them. Sora presses himself a little closer, takes Kairi’s hand as she reaches out for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry too. I could have helped and just made it worse instead. It wasn’t okay, but you’re trying, right?” Kairi says. “That matters. We’re here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re here.” Sora nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And there they stay, holding him between them as he trembles with repressed emotion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora and Kairi sleep, still nestled against him. Riku looks up when a familiar presence manifests before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vanitas.” He greets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanitas huffs, smacks him across the back of his head firmly exactly once, and then vanishes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess that means I’m forgiven..?” He chuckles lowly, well used to Vani’s particular brand of affection by now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows he doesn’t deserve it.. But it’s nice, having them around again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora kicks his feet idly over the endless abyss from Roxas’ heart station. Roxas sits next to him, elbows on his knees and head in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate this, I hope you know.” Roxas grumbles. Sora hums, not offended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.” He doesn’t sound sorry. In fact he looks quite happy. “But I’m still really glad Riku’s okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas huffs in annoyance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever. You can do what you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora’s smile finally drops, and he looks over at Roxas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> sorry this makes you uncomfortable, really. I promise I will never make you hang out with him once you get your own body.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Implying </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> gonna hang out with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora blinks, surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well of course. We’re friends, aren’t we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas sputters, waving his hands, not knowing what to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh- you- I never even said I was done being mad at you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but you are, aren’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re infuriating.” Roxas tips his head back with a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s part of his charm.” Xion walks up, a smile on her face. Sora tries not to look. It makes him dizzy, knowing what expression she has but still not being able to see what she looks like. He grins though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Xion!” He cheers, and then pats the space next to him. “Come on, sit with us!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ven brought me up to speed.” She says as she sits. “You’re going to look for Axel now, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Sora nods. “I really want to just.. Be with Riku and Kairi, but we gotta try and find him before something happens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it hasn’t already.” Roxas slumps. Xion takes one of his hands in hers, and he gives her a grateful smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he’s fine.” Xion says. “He’s tough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tougher than Xemnas?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We never saw Xemnas fight.” Xion tries to lighten the mood. “Maybe he’s a total pushover.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like a moogle.” Sora adds. “Head so inflated you poke it and it topples over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just flails around on his back.” Xion continues, a wide grin evident in her voice. “That’s why he was in that chair all the time, so no one could push him over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas tries to hold it in, he really does, but the ludicrous nature of it finally gets to him and he bursts out laughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re both ridiculous.” He devolves into giggles, and over his hunched shoulders Sora and Xion high five for a job well done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re all stiff and sore the next morning, still tangled on the ratty couch, when Haru finds them. He waits, leaning against the far wall as they wake one by one, groaning and yawning as they stretch and pop protesting joints.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We still have no leads on Axel.” Haru says. “I’m worried we might be too late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was running around Agrabah last I saw him.” Riku mumbles, rubbing at his eyes. “Trying to hunt down the Genie, see if he could extort some wishes out of him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ugh, Agrabah.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Both Ventus and Vanitas groan. They’re not sure why they both hate Agrabah so much, but it’s the same reaction every time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s bright idea was it to not give him a phone.” Kairi frowns. She hasn’t moved yet, still sprawled across the arm of the couch and partly over Riku’s lap, and doesn’t appear to have any plans of moving any time soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His own. Didn’t want to risk being found out.” Haru shrugs. “Come on, it’s our last lead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora hops up, and both Riku and Kairi glare jealously at the ease with which he does so. He doesn’t say it, but he can feel the worry pouring off Roxas in waves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go.” Sora nods, barely pausing to adjust his mussed jacket and hair. He turns back to Riku and Kairi. “Coming?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before we go, there is one last thing I should come clean about.” Riku says, standing. “Ventus?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora looks up, and a moment later Ventus materialises in the air between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you I’d found Terra’s heart.” Riku says. “I’m sorry for keeping him from you, but… He’s not the same as he was. I hoped I could help him before returning you to each other, but I haven’t been able to yet, and there’s no point in waiting anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventus leans forward, form tense and clearly excited. Riku takes a deep breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come….. Guardian.” Riku whispers, and the dark specter springs from behind him, writhing erratically. Sora jumps back, more out of instinct than any real reason, body remembering the fraught battle with Ansem all too well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of attacking, the Guardian simply.. Floats, hands twitching, torn bandages littering its face and body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventus stands stock still, looking up at the apparition. Slowly, he raises one hand, like he can’t quite believe it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was Terra?” Sora asks, disbelieving. “It was Terra the whole time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Riku nods. “The broken bits of Terra’s heart, that got left with Ansem. I’ve been trying to get the story out of him, but. Well. He’s not all there, and talking is hard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I guess Xehanort succeeded after all.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Vanitas murmurs from within.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “His whole plan involved possessing a younger body, and he had his eyes set on Terra. Figures his heart would have had to go </span>
  </em>
  <span>somewhere.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventus freezes for a long moment before whirling towards Sora, an outpouring of complicated emotions he can’t hope to parse. Anger, betrayal, grief, to name just a few.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“V… Ven…. tus…..” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Terra’s ghost speaks, slowly and with great effort, voice stopping Ven in his place. He turns back to Terra, who’s floated just slightly closer, breathing heavily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He can talk?” Kairi asks quietly. Sora shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Barely.” Riku says. “Not much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventus shakes, and for a moment he puts his face in his hands. Sora can feel the waves of grief and relief rising to the forefront in a wave so strong he feels tears in his eyes, intermingling into a complicated knot he couldn’t hope to untangle, so he lets himself cry in Ven’s place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ven throws himself forward, and wraps his arms around the Guardian’s tapered waist, clearly holding tightly. Ever so slowly, Terra raises one hand to rest it on Ventus’ back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A moment later, he vanishes, fading into ephemeral wisps of darkness. Ventus sags in the air, but then straightens, nodding once to Riku in thanks, and then vanishing himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll find a way to help him.” Sora says. “Just like the rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First we need to find Axel.” Haru finally speaks up from where he’s watched all this silently. “Priorities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.” Kairi agrees. “We ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora can’t hear what’s going on inside his heart right now, the windows are obviously closed, but he can feel the roiling emotions beneath that aren’t his. There’s an argument happening at the very least- he hopes it doesn’t devolve into fistfighting. Again. He'd really hoped with how well they'd been getting along that was a thing of the past, but the amount of grief and anger he feels, muted as it is, makes him worried. Plus Roxas and Xion have enough to deal with without having to witness that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready.” He nods.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>yeah vanitas had a general idea what happened to terra and no he did not tell ventus. we'll get into that more... next chapter.</p><p>ven and van have definitely come to blows in sora's heart before, their history is a tumultuous one, but it's been <i>several</i> years since the last one, which is why sora is worried.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Red Sunrise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tensions Rising and the calm before the storm.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is where chapters start getting a bit longer. it was one of those things where i wrote it all out, got my chapter breaks in nice neat places i was happy with... and then would realise i forgot a scene or three. so there's a few chapters (including this one) that are closer to 15-20 pages instead of my usual 10. (im sure none of you are complaining lol)</p><p>i hope the fighting comes off naturally. i cannot tell you how many revisions some sections went through before there was something i was even vaguely happy with. fighting is... not my strong suit lol</p><p>anyway lets kick this off with ven and van going Through Some Stuff (Some Of Which Is Very Old)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It devolves into fistfighting.</p><p>“YOU KNEW!” Ven shouts, rage and betrayal clear in his voice. “YOU KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO TERRA FROM THE <em> BEGINNING!” </em></p><p>He has Vanitas pinned to the glass, but Vanitas hooks Ven’s leg with one of his own and manages to flip them with a grunt. </p><p>“I didn’t know <em> shit.” </em> He snarls. “I just knew the plan because the old man liked to monologue! I couldn’t just assume that’s all there was to it!”</p><p>Ventus knees Vanitas in the gut and scrabbles for dominance when Vanitas flinches. </p><p>“You still could have told us! Told us <em> anything! </em> How are we supposed to trust you when you <em> do things like this!” </em></p><p>Vanitas sucks in a breath through his teeth but it’s the only outward indication he gives at how much that hurts. It's a low blow after a decade of forced cohabitation and Ventus <em>has</em> to know it, but they're both too caught up in the moment, in the wild, flying emotions charging the air, to really give that moment its due. It passes without fanfare or acknowledgement as Vanitas rakes clawed hands across Ven’s cheek, forcing him back, his expression returning to a masking snarl.</p><p><em> “You’re </em>the idiot for trusting me in the first place!” He shouts back. He jabs Ventus in the ribs and the boy stumbles, winded, only to come back with a roar and a grapple. He gets a fistful of Vanitas hair, making him howl as it’s pulled roughly.</p><p>“I guess so!” Ven cries, and there are tears in his eyes, though if they’re from emotion or the fight is uncertain. “Shows me for thinking we were friends! For thinking you <em> cared!” </em></p><p>Ven raises his fist but before he can bring it down the two are forcibly separated from each other, Ventus held by Roxas, arms pinned to his sides, and Xion almost sitting on Vanitas,a knee digging into his back. </p><p>There’s a long, tense silence as the two stare each other down angrily. Vanitas breaks first, surprising everyone.</p><p>“It wouldn’t have mattered.” Vanitas finally answers, his gaze averted. </p><p>“What?” Ven growls. Vanitas scowls. </p><p>“You heard me. Even if I told you, what would you have done? Sent the five year old island boy into the dangers of the heartless for someone who might not even exist anymore?”</p><p>“What about after then? We’ve been away from the islands <em> searching for them </em> for nearly a year- two of you count the one asleep! What about <em> then?” </em> Ventus points out, gesticulating angrily as best he can while still pinned. “Is this why you’ve been distracting Sora? Pushing him away from searching for Terra and Aqua whenever it comes up?!”</p><p>Vanitas doesn’t answer that, looking away. It had been easy; Riku and Kairi’s fates had been much more immediate and in need of resolution. Ventus’ friends were old wounds, easy to rationalize as being something to do after the current problem was solved.</p><p>“Vanitas!” Ven demands an answer.</p><p>"What, like you were pushing to find them yourself? You were scared of what you'd find and you know it!" Vanitas snaps, making Ventus recoil from both the bite in his words and the truth of them.</p><p>"I- We still could have-"</p><p>“It’s been ten years.” Vanitas continues sharply. “Terra is barely a fragment of a person and the chances of Aqua even being alive are slim to none. There wasn’t any <em> point.” </em></p><p>“You don’t know that!” Ven shouts, anger returning as he struggles against Roxas’ grip. “How am I supposed to know if you won’t even let us <em> try?!” </em></p><p>“Because.” He pauses, a rare moment of emotional vulnerability crossing his face. “You've lost enough friends. Better to just let you keep believing these ones were still out there somewhere.”</p><p>The dots connect as the wheels in Ven’s head turn, and the betrayed look grows. </p><p>“Other friends....? You remember.” Ven whispers. “You <em> know.” </em></p><p>“Just.. bits. Not much.” Vanitas shrugs, an awkward movement while still pinned beneath Xion’s knees.</p><p>Ventus looks like he might cry. He slumps to the ground, all his rage from before gone, replaced by a helpless sense of defeat. Roxas stands behind him, not really sure what to do now.</p><p>Xion and Roxas exchange a look.</p><p>“It’s a terrible thing, to forget.” Roxas says quietly.</p><p>“To be forgotten.” Xion adds.</p><p>Vanitas ducks his head, silently accepting the recrimination.</p><p>“Tell me.” Ven says. It’s not a question. Vanitas hesitates, but after Ventus all but glares him down Xion let’s him get up and sits next to him. Xion and Roxas start to move away, but Ventus gestures them to join, and all four cluster in the center of Sora’s heart station.</p><p>“There’s not much.” Vanitas warns. “But I’ve been digging at it, and sometimes I find new pieces.”</p><p>He pulls up a memory window, and all of them recognize Marluxia.</p><p>“It started with him, and a name.”</p><p>“You said he felt familiar.” Ven remembers. His voice feels raw from all the shouting. Vanitas nods.</p><p>“I think we might have known him, before.” The window changes, showing the fuzzy picture of the girl and the flower. “I haven’t figured out what’s going on with the flower yet, but it’s definitely connected.”</p><p>“Marluxia’s whole deal was flowers.” Roxas points out.</p><p>“That’s a completely different kind though. Didn’t he use roses?” Xion asks. Roxas shrugs.</p><p>“I thought they were cherry blossoms.”</p><p>“Anyways.” Vanitas interrupts before they can get too sidetracked. “I started following the connections from there, but I haven’t been able to find much.” He brings up some more memories, all fuzzy and indistinct.</p><p>“I think his name is Ephemer.” Vanitas points to one, a white haired boy with a smile that reminds them all a little bit of Sora. “I don’t know about the rest.” There’s a dark haired girl who’s eyes they can’t make out, and some kind of animal creature they’ve never seen before, as well as a pink haired boy that is far too similar to Marluxia to be a coincidence.</p><p>“Strange, very strange.” Xion says, peering at the images. Ven sits quietly, saying nothing, staring at the little pictures like perhaps they might jumpstart his own memory. “I wish we could ask Naminé about all this.” </p><p>“Hm. Maybe.” Vanitas mutters, not enthused by the idea, but Ven brightens just a little so he keeps his mouth shut.</p><p>“She has memory powers, right? Specifically Sora’s, but I think she can branch out using Sora’s connections pretty easily.” Xion pauses. “I’m not sure if she still can, where she is now though.”</p><p>“Once we get out then.” Ven whispers, but they all hear him clearly. “We’ll ask her if she can help.”</p><p>Vanitas gets up and returns to his station.</p><p>Ventus wonders if the cracks, nearly healed but still there, seem just a little wider before the whole thing vanishes from his sight.</p><p>-</p><p>Axel spits a mouthful of sand, grimacing as he pushes himself to his elbows.</p><p>“I hate this place.” He grumbles. There’s a sparkle of magic in the air, and Axel has been on this starsforsaken world long enough to know it means the Genie is gone, and he’s missed his chance yet again.</p><p>He sits up, but doesn’t get up further, exhaustion and failure bowing his shoulders.</p><p>“Is it really so hard to get an audience around here?!” He shouts up at the clear blue sky. A gust of wind blows sand around him and into places he’s sure are already caked with the stuff.</p><p>“Well I dunno, you could always just ask.”</p><p>The sudden voice startles Axel, who scrabbles away a few feet in a panic. A moment later he sees the jovial blue face of the very person he’d been hunting.</p><p>“You-!”</p><p>“Me!” The genie crows. “One and only Genie formerly of the lamp, pleased to meet ya.” He extends a hand.</p><p>Axel gapes. He doesn’t take the proffered hand, and Genie huffs.</p><p>“You know this is usually the part where you introduce yourself back, but that’s fine if we wanna be rude around here I can do that too, see ya!”</p><p>“Wait!” Axel stumbles upright. “Wait- please. I’m Axel. Just- Just give me a sec.”</p><p>“That’s all I needed to hear, my friend, buddy, pal. Now, what’re you lookin’ for old Genie for, eh?” Genie takes one of Axel’s hands without asking this time and shakes it vigorously, which Axel tolerates only by repeating his friends' names over and over in his head.</p><p>“I wanted to know if you could help me, actually.” Axel starts.</p><p>“Weeell that depends. I’m not in the wishing business anymore, if you catch my drift, but I might have a spot or two of magic in me if the price is right.” Genie nudges him playfully, popping from place to place as he speaks. It makes Axel dizzy, frankly.</p><p>“It’s for my friends.” Axel says. “No price is too high.”</p><p>Genie’s playful demeanour softens as he hears that.</p><p>“Straight for my heart, huh.” He says, subdued. “Whatcha need?”</p><p>“It’s.. Complicated.” Axel rubs the back of his head. “Long story short, they had their bodies stolen from them, and now their hearts are hanging out in someone else's. They deserve to have their own lives back, but I don’t want to tear apart the kid to do it.”</p><p>“Oof, that is a doozy for sure.” Genie whistles. “I can’t touch hearts though, I’m afraid. Against the code and all that.”</p><p>“Dammit.” Axel curses. “Dammit dammit <em> dammit.” </em> Days spent wandering in this desert for nothing. Genie pats his back with genuine emotion.</p><p>“Sorry I can’t help, but I’m sure you’ll find something. I’m glad they have a friend as determined as you.”</p><p>“Thanks. I guess.” Axel grumbles. He turns and walks away, hands in his pockets. He pauses. </p><p>“Can I ask a question?”</p><p>“Shoot.” Genie quips, hand forming into a pistol which pops cheerily a couple times. </p><p>“If something were to happen to the person my friends are staying in… what would happen to them?”</p><p>Genie rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. </p><p>“Oof, boy, do I have to answer that?”</p><p>Axel stares him down. </p><p>“I’ll save you the runaround cause I’m a nice guy- you’re asking what would happen if the kid died right? Nothing special man, kid dies, they die.” Genie pauses. “I mean unless you have a magic heart release backup plan, but how many of those are floating around?”</p><p>“How many indeed.” Axel mutters. “A second question then. If I ask you to find someone for me, can you do that?”</p><p>“Well since I couldn’t help ya with the first one I can probably do that, out of the kindness of my heart. Who’re you lookin’ for?”</p><p>Axel is looking for a few people actually, which Genie isn’t pleased with; he’d only agreed to one after all, but he’s in a good enough mood to comply anyway.</p><p>The blue man snaps his fingers, sparks flying through the air, and then… nothing.</p><p>Axel’s small, newly regrown heart sinks.</p><p>Genie frowns, snaps his fingers again, causing more fizzling sparks and then nothing more. He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.</p><p>“I swear this never happens to me. Awkward~” He trails off. Axel sighs.</p><p>“Should have known you were limited to your own world. Dammit. What a waste of time.”</p><p>“You tried, can’t fault you for that.” Genie says. “Hey, I wish you luck though eh? Sounds like you need it.”</p><p>Axel waves him off, tired and frustrated enough to not want to bother with answering, already starting to walk away.</p><p>Genie huffs.</p><p>“Still rude though.” He snarks, and then pops out of existence. Axel rolls his eyes and keeps walking. He should portal back, but the latest failure in a long string of failures to find…<em> anything </em> leaves him wanting to put it off a bit. He’s already been away several days, what’s another hour or two?</p><p>Thank all that was holy for Saïx being able to fabricate so many reasons for Axel’s sudden bout of multi-day missions, really. He’d have been hooped long ago if it weren’t for him.</p><p>Sand flies in his face from an errant gust of wind and he makes a disgusted face.</p><p>“Alright, enough moping.” He mutters. “Try, try again.”</p><p>He opens a portal, and takes a deep breath, trying his best to shake off his most recent failure but not quite managing it. He takes a step forward-</p><p>And then something barrels into him from one side, knocking him over hard enough that he can feel the sand slithering into his clothes from his collar. The portal evaporates into shapeless wisps.</p><p>He sits up sharply, fire flickering at his fingertips, ready to summon his chakrams in defence until he sees just what had knocked him over.</p><p>“Axel!” And there’s Sora, coming in at a run from just over the next dune, panting. His little possé is hot on his tail, but Axel’s attention is drawn back to the two beings on top of him, one of which is gesturing wildly and the other which seems to have simply clamped itself around his middle and refuses to move.</p><p>“I’m so glad we caught you!” Sora says as he stumbles to a halt. “Roxas and Xion have been so worried!”</p><p>“Roxas?” Axel feels like the air has been stolen from him. The white armour that’s been waving its arms looks like it wants to shake him. “Xion?” The one in pink and gray around his middle clutches tighter.</p><p>His head hurts, and the only memories of Xion he can piece together are on the clocktower, fuzzy and indistinct, but he remembers that she was <em> there- </em>suddenly remembers her as more than notes in a book telling him that she existed at all. He reaches up and pulls Roxas down, pulls Xion up, and wraps his arms around both tightly.</p><p>“I’m sorry-” His voice shakes, quiet as it is. The failures he’s faced combined with seeing them again, even in this form, is overwhelming. “I’m trying to find a way to get you out- get us together again, I swear-”</p><p>He feels their arms around him tighten, and it takes all his self control not to cry, even with the charms still beneath his eyes.</p><p>He won’t allow himself to cry again until he can hold them for real.</p><p>“They know.” Sora speaks up, prompting Axel to glance up at him, though he doesn’t move or disentangle himself from the pile.</p><p>He should be getting back. He can’t avoid it forever.</p><p>He doesn’t move.</p><p>-</p><p>The situation is explained, and Axel panics.</p><p>“I have to go back.” He insists. Roxas and Xion both flail at him angrily. They’re both reaching the end of their ability to stay out, fuzzing at the edges, but they refuse to dissipate just yet.</p><p>“Don’t walk right into your own execution.” Riku says sensibly. Axel tsks irritably. Xion nods, and Roxas sulks about the fact that he’s agreeing with Riku.</p><p>“No you don’t get it. If my cover’s blown then so is his- or it will be soon. Stubborn idiot thinks he’ll be fine but- I have to get him out.”</p><p>“Fine, but slow down. We can make a plan.” Riku sighs. Kairi and Sora both nod.</p><p>“Cause that’s gone so great for us so far.” Axel snarks. “Let me go.” He means that literally, as the moment he’d started to move Roxas and Xion had latched onto his arms and refused to release him. Xion shakes her head and Roxas’ hands tighten meaningfully.</p><p>“Just come with us to the ship.” Sora entreats. “We’ll figure something out.”</p><p>Axel seems like he might argue, but his eye is caught by the two floating armours holding him in place, who despite not having faces stare entreatingly up at him anyway. He remembers their soulful, sad puppy eyes well enough for them to still be effective even now.</p><p>“Fine. It was about time we got all our ducks in a row anyway.”</p><p>-</p><p>“Sooora!” Donald groans. “We’re gonna run out of room on the ship!”</p><p>“I’m not staying.” Axel says frankly. “We’re just here to figure out a plan and then I’m gone.”</p><p>Sora pouts.</p><p>“You’re making Roxas and Xion sad.” He says. Both had faded back into Sora’s heart eventually. They’d held on as long as they could, but time spent out was always on a limit. Axel averts his eyes.</p><p>“I know.” He mutters. “But at least they’re safe. Saïx isn’t.”</p><p>“You’re going to go save him?” Goofy intuits. Axel nods. Donald huffs.</p><p>“And why should we help? We don’t even know if you’re actually on our side!”</p><p>“Xemnas is making Kingdom Hearts.” Axel gets straight to the point. “That’s been his plan for years and he’s been using the hearts from the heartless you’ve been defeating to do it. We put off telling you to buy time to try and find bodies for our friends, but we still have to stop him eventually. Now that time’s up and we’re going in, might as well stop Xemnas while we’re at it.”</p><p>“He’s been.. Using us?” Sora seems strangely stricken by that. Goofy pats his back.</p><p>“It’s okay, we didn’t know.”</p><p>“And what could you have done? Stop killing heartless? Stop protecting people?” Donald points out. Sora gives a watery smile.</p><p>“Yeah, I guess you’re right.</p><p>“Of course we’re right.” Donald huffs. “Now don’t worry about it.”</p><p>“There’s nothing to be done about it now anyway.” Riku points out. “Let’s focus. How are we getting to where Xemnas is holed up?”</p><p>“What am I, chopped liver? I could just portal us there."</p><p>“We don’t all have protection from the dark.” Riku points out, gesturing towards where Sora, Donald, and Goofy stand. “And even if we did that would still be walking straight into an ambush. Everyone there would know it’s you portalling in.”</p><p>Axel hrms irritably. </p><p>“We should regroup. Find Haru and the King so they can help too.” Kairi chimes in. Riku nods. </p><p>“Good idea.” He pulls out his phone, Data Sora chirping a greeting as the screen lights up. “We should keep Zexion in the loop as well. We’ll meet at the mansion.”</p><p>-</p><p>Zexion is already there when they arrive, and Haru shows up a little later, but Riku gets a text from Mickey late into the evening telling him he’ll be a few hours yet. </p><p>Sora doesn’t mean to eavesdrop, but the rooms aren’t that big honestly, and the echo here is atrocious. He listens to Riku as he calls the King.</p><p>“Do you need help?” He asks. He hears Mickey make a negative noise.</p><p>“Nu uh, it’s just tedious. Shouldn’t be long though, and then I can leave the Restoration Committee with the rest.”</p><p>“How are Leon and the others doing?” Riku asks. Sora hears a tinny voice protest- it sounds like Yuffie.</p><p>“Hey, we’re right here, y’know!”</p><p>“We’re doing fine, just busy.” That’s Leon’s voice. He sounds tired, Sora thinks. He wonders if it’s from the restoration work or just from having to deal with Yuffie all day. “You guys planning something big?”</p><p>“Storming the castle, basically. We’re taking the fight to Xemnas, make sure he’s stopped once and for all.”</p><p>“Amongst other things.” Ienzo chimes in from where he’s standing nearby. “Like lovesick fools chasing after each other.”</p><p>“Hey!” Axel protests, but the groove he’s worn in the floor from pacing gives him little room for argument.</p><p>“And you are?” Ah, Aerith’s voice. From anyone else the question would be brusque, but from her she makes it a polite inquiry.</p><p>“My apologies, my name is Ienzo.” He leans over Riku’s tall shoulders just enough to show himself to the camera and then retreats. He seems a little camera shy, Sora thinks.</p><p>He can’t relate. Riku and Kairi’s phones have more than a few selfies that he’s sent them.</p><p>“Anyways, I’ll be there soon, you can count on me.” The King says with confidence, and Sora can imagine the bright smile that accompanies it. Riku gives his own smile at the device.</p><p>“I know. We’ll see you soon.” The connection closes, and Data Sora's voice rings out over the speaker.</p><p>"Anyone else you need to call?"</p><p>"No, thank you." He gives the little pixelated image a soft smile that makes Sora's stomach twist in weird way before Riku hangs up, tucking his phone away.</p><p>The group decides to go over their options and then get some rest.</p><p>“There’s a breach in the darkness from right here in the mansion, in fact, in the datascape version of town.” Zexion says. “I investigated it thoroughly for fear I might be found whilst I was doing my research here, but there has been no indication the organization knows of it yet.”</p><p>“We can get to the World That Never Was from there?” Haru asks. Zexion nods.</p><p>“I have not gone to the other side myself, obviously, but according to what I have gathered it should open to the city beneath the castle.”</p><p>“Close enough.” Sora says with cheery optimism. “We can definitely make it from there.” </p><p>Riku frowns.</p><p>“It’s not ideal, but we’ll make it work. I’m wondering if we shouldn’t go in groups, try and draw less attention.”</p><p>“I don’t know.” Kairi responds doubtfully. “If they notice us anyway on the first group they might be able to cut the rest of us off and then take us out one by one.”</p><p>“I second that.” Haru nods. “One group. If we have to split up after getting through we can, but getting everyone there in one piece should be priority.”</p><p>Riku acquiesces the point with a nod.</p><p>“Tomorrow then. Let’s all get some rest while we can.”</p><p>The meeting adjourned, they disperse.</p><p>-</p><p>Sora and Kairi are scouting the musty rooms for something that will fit all three of them, but Riku hangs back. For once it’s not his own guilt or anxiety though, instead it’s the two ghosts floating near the banister, barely peaking over the edge to the foyer below.</p><p>He glances over the edge, and sees Axel arguing quietly over something with Ienzo, gesticulating expressively even as he keeps his voice low and indistinct.</p><p>Roxas and Xion seem almost.. Hesitant, as they watch.</p><p>Ienzo walks away, leaving Axel alone in the foyer. He sighs and leans against a doorframe, head bowed and brows creased. Riku expects Roxas and Xion to go to him now that the conversation is done, but instead they wait, shrinking nervously in on themselves like…</p><p>Well, like children.</p><p>Riku ignores the next bout of guilt like a pro, leaving it for something to keep him up at night like the rest, and leans against the bannister near them. Not close enough to be threatening or in their space, but close enough to speak quietly. Barely.</p><p>“You should go see him.”</p><p>Roxas makes a rude gesture, one he’s sure Vanitas must have taught him. Fair enough. Xion puts an armoured hand against his arm, and his aggressive stance falls away as they both look down at Axel again.</p><p>“Riku where are- oh.” Sora pokes his head from a doorway.</p><p>“Sora. Tell these two to go see their friend. This group has too many regrets already.”</p><p>Ventus forms in the air and grabs both kids hands, tugging them forward. His message is clear.</p><p>
  <em> Let’s go! </em>
</p><p>Riku leaves them to it, knowing they’re in capable hands now. He shies away from Sora’s bright, indulgent smile. It’s too close to forgiveness. He doesn’t think he deserves that yet. He’s pretty certain he never will.</p><p>Still, as much as his guilt still gnaws at him, he can’t help but melt into the touch as Sora and Kairi both hug him.</p><p>-</p><p>Axel looks up as three ghosts appear before him, and though it’s not ideal it still lifts his spirits to see them.</p><p>“Shouldn’t you guys be resting up? Big day tomorrow.” He says.</p><p>Roxas shakes his head stubbornly. Ven drifts forward to take one of Axels’ hands. Xion looks at a loss.</p><p>Axel sighs.</p><p>“We’re all long overdue for a proper talk, aren’t we?” He says, turning to face them fully. “Kinda hard right now though.”</p><p>Ven pauses, turns back to the other two, and then makes some kind of hand motion. Roxas socks him in the arm and Xion looks like she’s giggling madly.</p><p>“And now I feel like you’re talking about me behind my back while I’m standing right here.” Axel huffs, but he can’t stop the grin that forms at seeing them goof off. “You guys gonna teach me those hand signs or what?”</p><p>Xion claps her hands, and Roxas nods excitedly. Ven just seems happy to be included.</p><p>It’s not what it was, but it was good just to be around them again.</p><p>-</p><p>Vanitas lays on his station. It's quiet. It's empty. No teary-eyed reunions for him tonight. He's fine with that. Sentimental crap wasn't his style.</p><p>No one is here, out with friends instead. He still doesn't lift the veil between his station and theirs.</p><p>He's fine.</p><p>Let them have their fun. Things will get messy soon enough.</p><p>He's fine.</p><p>-</p><p>The mansion is quiet, most of its residents (temporary and otherwise) fast asleep this deep into the night.</p><p>Haru sits outside the door to the room Sora, Riku, and Kairi have holed up in. There’s an only slightly musty king sized bed there that manages to fit all three of them despite Riku’s significantly increased size. Haru sits against the wall outside like a warrior on night watch, relaxed but alert.</p><p>He can’t sleep.</p><p>He’ll probably regret it later, but he honestly can’t remember the last time he got a good night's rest anyway. Considering the relatively short time he’s even been alive to sleep (and barring the residual borrowed memories he has from Riku. Naminé had done her best to separate him out from his stolen identity, but there was only so much to be done when neither he nor Riku were willing to lose entire sections of their memories from the castle), it’s entirely possible he never has. He’ll get a few hours in later, if he’s lucky.</p><p>A form floats downward with nary a noise, coming to rest next to him in a position that looks almost cross legged, though it’s hard to tell with the flayed parts of her dress around her and the not-quite-human nature of the heart projections.</p><p>“Hey, Naminé.” He greets quietly. She reaches out to place a hand gently on his raised knee.</p><p>“I’m not tired.” He says in answer to her unspoken question. “I’ll sleep later.”</p><p>He can practically feel her frown. She pats at him insistently, tugging at his sleeve the same way she’d done many a time before, when it had been deep into the night, clustered around Sora’s pod.</p><p>“I remember.” He acknowledges. “Some things don’t change, huh?”</p><p>She tugs again, mimes laying her head against a pillow with her hands.</p><p>“I told you I’d go later.” He says, feeling irritation rise in his throat. “I don’t need you to take care of me, and I think you gave that up when you left anyway.” He says bitterly, and regrets it the moment it comes out of his mouth. It was petty and aggressive and he should be better than that. He feels even worse as she shrinks away, the hand on his knee retreating.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” He tries to backtrack. “It’s just-... I’m sorry. That was… unkind, of me.”</p><p>Naminé visibly hesitates, and then reaches out her hands as if asking for something. He tilts his head, confused. Seeing he doesn’t understand, she reaches down and takes his hand. He lets her take it without resistance, and realises what she means to do. Though both of them were learning the sign language Sora and his friends had been using for years, neither were particularly fluent yet, though Naminé moreso than Haru thanks to his spotty memories from Riku.</p><p>She flips it over, palm up, and then with pointed fingers starts to write.</p><p>“‘Me… too’.” He speaks as she writes. “No, Naminé, you shouldn’t-”</p><p>She shakes her head, and keeps writing.</p><p>“...’I.. Hurt… you… by joining…. With… Kairi. I… Was… Selfish.’” He reads. “No- No Naminé you’re allowed to be selfish, but…” He breathes through his nose, trying to organize his thoughts.</p><p>“Yeah. Yeah you did hurt me. What hurt me most was that you thought so little of yourself, that you’d hurt yourself because we failed to help you see how amazing you really are. You… You deserve more than that. You deserve to see that you’re more than a shadow.”</p><p>She’s not looking at him, playing with his fingers idly. She doesn’t seem to have an answer for him, positive or negative.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Naminé.” He says with a sigh. For his failures, for what had been done to her, to all of them. For the whole shitty situation. He didn’t know how to say it any more.</p><p>She’s still holding his hand, but he can feel it shaking. Her shoulders hunch. For a moment he wishes he could hug her before realising he can do just that.</p><p>He pulls her toward him, leaves her plenty of time to pull away if she’s uncomfortable, and then hugs her as tightly as he can, hoping that in some way she can feel his intent, even if she can’t feel his warmth. He wishes he’d had the opportunity to hug her before all this. He wonders if she was like him not that long ago, not even knowing what it was.</p><p>She leans into the touch though, and he takes comfort in that.</p><p>He hopes his hug feels as good for her as when Sora’s mother had hugged him. He hopes someday she can experience it herself. Right now though he does his best to recreate it for her.</p><p>He sits there with her as she shakes in her arms, and the clock continues to tick deeper into the night.</p><p>-</p><p>Kairi wakes from her nightmare with only a barely audible gasp and the slightest twitch of her arms.</p><p>It was the same nightmare she’s always had, of burning flowers and the looming specter who’s face she can’t see chasing her into the night. It’s gained some new features since the Islands fell though; sometimes she’s trapped in her own body, unable to see or hear. Sometimes she sees the faces of the nobodies, the <em> people, </em> she’s felled (she killed them, they killed them, what kind of princess of heart does that? What kind of <em> person </em> does that?).</p><p>It’s nothing she isn’t used to, wiping the sweat from her brow as she sits up, disentangling herself from Riku. She half expects him to wake, Riku had always been a notoriously light sleeper and he’d still been awake when her and Sora had nodded off, but he doesn’t so much as twitch. She notes the deep, heavy bags under his eyes, ones that seem even deeper in his rest somehow.</p><p>She remembers the ratty couch in Traverse Town, the obvious bare minimum that he’s been caring for himself, and her heart hurts.</p><p>That he rests so deeply now surrounded by friends is both a balm and a further twist of the knife knowing he’s been without for so long.</p><p>“Ah!”</p><p>There’s a gasp, and she turns her gaze to Sora. She can barely see him at first, between Riku’s bulk and the large wad of blankets that have gotten impossibly tangled atop them, she almost misses him curled into Riku’s side. That doesn’t last long though as he jerks, flipping away from Riku and hissing as his back arches.</p><p>A moment later Kairi realizes the darkness of his skin isn’t due to the almost nonexistent lighting, but instead a tangible thing that floods his skin like water coating it in a tide, the excess rising from him in wafts that nearly choke her. It creeps quickly along the edges, staining his rich islander brown tones with a black so inky it melds completely with the deep shadows of the night.</p><p>She doesn’t mean to lash out. Scared, she panics, and her inner light pushes it back, down inside. Sora’s thrashing calms, and then stills entirely, slumping down with his head coming to rest against Riku’s arm.</p><p>Kairi pants, confused.</p><p>She’d seen Sora have nightmares before, many times. He’d done the same of her. It was just what happened when you shared a space as small as the gummiship. She’d never seen <em> that </em>before though, and though her instinctive reaction to push back with her light seemed to have solved it, she’s not sure if it was the right thing to do.</p><p>The dark wasn’t bad. If she’d done that to Vanitas she might have hurt him, and that would have broken her heart to do something so cruel to someone she considered a friend.</p><p>She sits on the edge of the bed, back turned to both Sora and Riku and looks inside herself. She takes her light and tugs on it, pulling it further into herself- not to cage it, but restrain it. Still where she can use it if she needs, but hopefully where it won’t so easily lash out without her thinking.</p><p>The image of a dog muzzle comes to her mind and it almost makes her chuckle. It’s appropriate enough. It doesn’t last though. She doesn’t know what just happened with Sora, and there probably won’t be time to find answers tomorrow. She’s frightened that she doesn’t know (why is there so much in her life she doesn’t know?). What if it’s hurting him?</p><p>Kairi takes a deep breath.</p><p>It was clearly darkness. Vanitas was still there, and he would never let anything happen to Sora. This has always been a hard fact in their lives. It’s a calming enough thing to remember that it keeps her from reaching over to wake both boys right then and there.</p><p>She lays back down, curling into Riku’s side, taking in the body heat that Ansem’s body seems to exude in waves. Riku had always run cold before. It feels strange, but she’s willing to get used to it if Riku can’t change back. At least she can still see him as he is; she can’t imagine how strange it must be for Sora to see Ansem in his place all the time.</p><p>Her mind buzzes and she knows sleep won’t come back easily tonight, but she tries anyway. At least her company is good.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I Bet You Thought I Forgot About Antiform</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Circling Crows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You know what they say; no plan survives contact with the enemy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>stuff happens. you ready?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“King Mickey should be here any minute.” Riku murmurs. Axel nods and keeps pacing. Donald taps his staff impatiently. Kairi grips Sora’s hand tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stand before the portal, nestled in the Data Twilight Town, ready to be opened as soon as they’re ready.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be okay, Kairi.” Sora says quietly, the tense silence of the room making him soften his words. Kairi frowns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m worried. We don’t know what happened last night, what if-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll figure it out after, okay?” He insists. “We haven’t got time right now, and Vanitas said he didn’t notice anything unusual. It’ll keep until we finish Xemnas and save Axel’s friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kairi takes a deep breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope you’re right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gosh fella’s, I hope I didn’t keep ya waiting long.” A new voice announces, and the Kings’ distinctive silhouette stands framed in the doorway. He steps through, taking his hood down as he enters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all. Are you ready?” Riku asks. Mickey nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready and waiting. Just tell me when.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Riku takes a deep breath. “Ienzo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ienzo steps forward and waves one hand, revealing a swirling mass of purples and greens from the illusion he’d been hiding it under, an obvious portal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s do this.” Haru says, and steps through without hesitation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One by one they follow, entering the strange liminal space between. A few of them stumble, disoriented by the sudden lack of walls or floors, but they all keep moving. No one speaks, a tenseness in the air no one has the courage to break.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They can all see the exit at the end of the tunnel, but there’s no real way of telling how far it is as they trek toward it at first. They all know better than to trust their eyes here, too easy to deceive in these places between.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Axel tenses first, followed quickly by Ienzo, eyes darting about as they assume battle ready stances. Riku and Haru are next, forming up around Sora and Kairi instinctively alongside Donald and Goofy. Mickey’s keyblade glows with preparing magic as the first nobodies swirl into existence around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Already?!” Axel grits his teeth. Ienzo bares his teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They must have found us out. It’s too late now, we’ll have to fight our way through.” He hisses. Sora growls, and both Xion and Roxas form next to him, ready to fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Figures.” Haru huffs, and then the battle commences. The first ones leap at them, dispatched easily by chakrams and swords alike. Pages from Ienzo’s books futter erratically as his illusions trap and disorient, allowing the more action oriented members of the outer guard to dispatch them as needed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The nobodies swarm them in waves, never letting up enough to let them so much as breathe, let alone make any progress toward the exit. They seem to sense the groups intent, grouping thickly in the directions of both exits, effectively trapping them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only thing going for them is that they manage to stick together, despite the mindless nobodies haphazard attempts at separating them, likely with the intent to pick them off one by one. The group won’t allow it though, knowing their strength is in staying together. Mickey has reflega prepped near constantly, and Donald throws out wide area thundaga’s like they’re going out of style.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goofy moves to stand on the outer circle with Riku, Haru, and Axel. Not his preferred position, he’d much rather be with Donald and the King, but the current formation necessitates it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kairi is in the center with Mickey and Donald, though her magic isn’t as strong as the Court Magicians, Naminé has a wide area of effect, throwing status effects out as quickly as she can manage. Kairi does what she can, pointing out particular clusters of enemies to hit, making an efficient system between the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not sustainable though, and they all know it. It’s not long before they’re all panting and breathless from the onslaught, and without an escape route it very quickly starts to seem hopeless. Sora finds himself taking the role of the switch, relieving someone if they take a hit and need to fall back long enough to have a potion thrown at them… and with how many nobodies there are around them, he’s on the move almost constantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He takes Riku’s place as he stumbles back, a long gash on his bicep rendering his arm useless. He hears Kairi’s call as she tosses him a hi-potion, but Sora feels the exhausted tremble in his arms and legs and knows they’re running out of time, fast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t go back.” He whispers to himself. The dread that accompanies the realization is muffled somehow. It’s too much. “We.. We have to get through.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they can’t, and he knows it. The exit portal lies still in the distance, and might as well be miles away for all the good it does them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas suddenly stands at attention, and that’s the only warning Sora gets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A new group of nobodies swirls into existence, their backs turned to the group, and it’s only Sora’s shout of “WAIT!” that keeps them from being felled by the defenders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The aggressive nobodies falter, confused. The ones that have formed a circle around the defenders wait, weapons drawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A Samurai turns towards Roxas and nods. Roxas nods back. A Creeper breaks off from the defenders and flits away, vanishing into the exit the defenders are trying so desperately to get to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re with us.” Sora pants. “Don’t hurt them, keep track of which ones are with us!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s distantly aware he’s repeating himself, but he’s tired and the panic is held back only by this tiny ray of hope. Axel tsks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not a problem for me or Ien.” He huffs. “You guys watch it though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rearrange.” Riku calls. “Sora, Axel, Ienzo just behind the friendlies, me and the rest on the inner circle, we’ll take whatever gets past you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group nods, and they switch quickly. They haven’t quite made it into position when their time runs out and the aggressive nobodies resume their assault, but the friendly ones hold them back long enough for the group to get themselves defensible again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kairi winces every time a friendly nobody takes a hit and vanishes into the gray wisps of death, but she can’t let it stop her. Naminé floats above her, casting confusion and blind at every opportunity, though she can tell she’s reaching her limit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hates that she’s not on the front lines too, but Naminé’s specialty was in status effects and support, distance was to her benefit, unlike Kairi, who preferred to be in the thick of things. Riku’s presence at her side helps, knowing he’d much rather be in front too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re doing slightly better for a moment, but their progress towards the exit is still agonizingly slow, and it’s quickly apparent that despite the unexpected support it’s simply not enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re still not gonna make it.” Mickey says to himself, the reflega gathered at the tip of his keyblade sputtering as he runs out of mana. “There’s too many.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t say that!” Goofy responds, shield raised. “We can still do it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald waves his staff like a club, slapping a Dusk across the head and knocking it silly. He’s long since out of mana and ethers. There’s more in the backpack but in the chaos there’s no chance to grab them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t give up!” He shouts, but he feels just as hopeless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their circle tightens as their group of friendly nobodies grows smaller.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Axel’s fists clench, glancing over to where Sora fights, Roxas and Xion steady presences at his side. He grits his teeth. He has one last resort at his disposal, but it truly is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>last</span>
  </em>
  <span> resort. He opens his mouth, apologies and goodbyes on his tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t get the chance to speak to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A howl rings through the space, tearing across the air like a physical thing, pausing everything in its ferocity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An object flings itself through the portal exit, landing in the thickest of the nobodies, decimating them in a wide circle of blue fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A second thing flies through the portal, a deep yell erupting from his throat as he does. The man is coated in blue flame and grabs his claymore as he flies past it, swinging it up in a sharp uppercut and then bringing it around in a wide arc, clearing everything around him near instantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Saïx!” Axel gasps, a wide smile splitting his face at the sight, despite shoulders bowed with exhaustion. Saïx stands, and flicks his hair back almost carelessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should have known you would get into trouble without me.” He glances back, a hint of tease in his eyes. “Didn’t I tell you not to come back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah well, things changed.” Axel near laughs. “Let’s do this!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll carve you a path. Be ready to run!” Saïx barks. Axel nods, and everyone readies themselves, moving to defensive actions as the friendly nobodies try to push the encroaching hoard back. Axel barely has to give a signal, or even tell Saïx that they’re trying to get into The World That Never Was, he just seems to know. The two work together seamlessly as Saïx jumps to the fore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gives a roar, and blue flame rushes outward as he shoots forward, slamming his weapon against the ground in wide shockwaves as he clears the way to the other end of the tunnel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moves faster than they can like this, in this near berserked state, but they manage to get through before the hoard can move in to fill the gaps. Haru gets there first, and stands next to the exit as he waves the rest through. Kairi hops through after only a moment's hesitation, going only once she sees Sora and Riku are both right behind her. Donald and Goofy back through, circled around Mickey. Ienzo slips through silently and barely noticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Axel stops.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He waves Haru through. The friendly nobodies catch up with them, circling around the portal and the last two remaining travellers. Saïx brings his claymore to fore, panting. He can’t sustain his high level of destruction very long, but Axel knows it will only be a few more moments before he can go again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, let’s go!” He insists, waving at Saïx and trying to get him through the portal too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” The word is quiet, barely a whisper in this battletorn space. Axel’s breath catches in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He wants to growl, but his voice cracks. He has a terrible, awful sinking feeling. Saïx looks back at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More than three quarters of the castle's nobodies are here. If I can keep them here, trap them, your path through to your goal becomes much more feasible.” He gives Axel one of those small, barely there smiles he still remembers so well. “I could hardly let them follow you anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s- don’t- there has to be a way to close the portal, Isa!” Axel cries, desperate. They both know nobody knows how to close this particular portal any more than they know how it opened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both know what Saïx is implying with his plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The friendly nobodies around them circle tighter, numbers dropping one by one. They’re out of time. Saïx turns to Axel, grabbing him by the front of his coat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Make it count.” He says, voice soft. “I love you, Lea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he throws Lea through the portal. The seal of a barrier shimmers across the darkness after he passes through it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tumbles through the other side, and before he’s even landed he’s scrabbling at the ground, trying to right himself, throw himself back through the portal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The portal flickers, destabilized, and a shock of blue flame can be seen on the other side, and then… nothing. There is silence, and nothing else comes through the portal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lea stares, still on his knees, and he</span>
  <em>
    <span> knows.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A single tear falls, and he sucks in a breath. Then another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Axel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stands, his back turned to the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A long moment passes, and then he starts walking toward the Castle looming over them without a word. The others cast their gazes amongst each other, each looking for answers, none willing to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Axel?” Kairi asks tentatively. He doesn’t pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Lea.” Is all he says, voice rough. He keeps walking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happ-” Sora starts to ask, but Riku puts his hand out, stopping him. He shakes his head, and Sora falls silent. He glances toward the portal, still swirling silent and ominous, and realises what that means.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas and Xion float forward as the group moves together, clustered around Lea. He spares them a weak smile each, but that’s all he can manage. He’s grateful they don’t push.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The feeling in his chest builds. Isa’s gone. He’s</span>
  <em>
    <span> gone.</span>
  </em>
  <span> His knees shake with the knowledge but he keeps walking. A few scattered nobodies erupt in their path but he dispatches them with cold and calculated strikes. Sometimes Roxas and Xion help, but they’re largely unneeded. They hover close to him. He appreciates it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His fire grows hotter with the strength of his emotion, his blades sharper. He cries no more tears, though his eyes are red and his cheeks flushed, his glare could melt steel as he stalks toward the castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The entrance to the castle springs to life before they even reach the edge of the cliff. What seems to be the last of the Castle’s nobodies swarm there, a last ditch defence to stop them. The emotion in Lea’s chest boils over and he roars in a rage, flinging his chakrams outward as he rips through them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tears do fall then, his voice hoarse with the strength of his grief. Fire flickers across the ground in haphazard patterns as he eliminates them in clustered groups.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pants as the last of them evaporate into wisps. He reaches up, still holding his chakrams, to rub his forearm to his eyes. He leaves it there a moment, as if trying to hide- from the others, from reality- before rubbing away the tears properly and then moving on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ienzo splits off from them at that point, he gives Haru and the King a stiff nod, and then vanishes into some side corridor they can’t see. He has his own goals, and they leave him to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pause in the elevator, but only because they have to. Everyone is giving him looks. He hates it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas touches his elbow. Lea feels his whole body tremble with the effort to stay upright. Everything in him wants to just collapse, to howl and weep, at the injustice, the unfairness of it all. But he can’t. He can’t. There’s too much at stake. He promised his friends he would get their lives back and he won’t break that promise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He said…” His voice wavers dangerously. Xion and Roxas float a little closer. They’ve been out a while now, they have to be holding onto their forms through sheer force of will at this point. His throat closes up, unable to finish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xion touches one hand to his chest. A silent plea to continue. Like it feels important that he does. He clears his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He said he loved me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words sound distant to his own ears, like he’s hearing them through a thick wall. It feels unreal somehow, how something that would have made him so happy only brings him sorrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas and Xion hug him, and he pulls them as close as he can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why..?” He croaks. “Why couldn’t he just…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not told him? He’s not sure if that’s better or worse. Not died? Certainly, though he’s not sure how. Isa had made his decision. Not even Lea had ever been able to change his mind once it was made. His chest hurts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator stops, and he straightens, sniffing. Keep it together, he tells himself. Break down later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s only three members left.” Riku says quietly as they make their way upwards. “Xemnas, Xigbar and..”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Luxord.” Lea shrugs, though his heart isn’t really in it. “He’s a wild card though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep your eyes peeled.” Mickey says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Hall of Naught is empty. Too empty, even with the nobodies reduced numbers. Everyone is tense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A clatter makes Sora turn, Donald and Goofy don’t appear to have heard, moving past him. Lea turns, eyes squinting in suspicion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas floats forward, picking up the rock that had fallen. Xion is next to him, confused. There shouldn’t be such an ordinary looking rock in this place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lea realises what’s happening a second too late, hearing the click of a familiar trigger from above. His head swings upward only just enough to see where he’s aimed- it’s at Sora no he can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>- and then he launches himself at the boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air sizzles as the bullet flies, glowing and high powered, and at first Lea feels nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lea and Sora tumble to the ground. He sees Xigbar stand with a scowl, but then his attention is drawn downward, to Sora’s horrified face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His chest hurts, but in an entirely different way now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas and Xion are reaching for him, but it feels as though everything is moving in slow motion as he tries to raise his own hand in turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t complete the motion, and everything goes dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I must be getting rusty.” Xigbar twirls his guns flippantly. “Still, can’t argue with results. Let’s try that again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirks, and as one the group readies their weapons. He teleports forward, walking right through the last fading wisps of Lea’s form, raising his gun to point at Sora again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora stares down the barrel, at first at a distance and then a moment later only inches from his nose. He’s frozen, screaming inside, listening to Roxas and Xion and Ven screaming too. It’s too much. It’s too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s too</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Much.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He screeches as black leeches across his skin, and then goes silent completely as it coats him entirely. The wave of Dark pushes Xigbar back, making him stumble. Some part of his mind is distantly aware that Roxas and Xion are gone, but right now he’s laser focused on the enemy before him. Sharpened claws lash out with preternatural speed, again and again. His mind no longer processes words or anything more sophisticated than ‘enemy’ and ‘not a danger’. The man with silver hair appears to his right, and he feels buoyed. The girl with the red hair at his left, and he feels motivated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Dark struggles with the concept of friendship, but there were few things, or people, more important to Sora.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And this enemy had just stolen something very important to someone inside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sora launches himself forward, using Riku as a springboard to enhance his hit. He slingshots around, and Kairi grabs his wrist to bring him back to the target.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The enemy grunts as he hits them again and again, and he does not stop. His face is entirely still, it does not convey the rage and hurt that roils inside, that leaks out of his skin in dark wisps. Every moment he feels a little bit lighter, like the dark is taking his very emotions out with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaps back, and the two at his side raise their weapons of heart and ice, and the three strike as one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The enemy falls back, and though he speaks words Sora does not comprehend them. He wants to rage at the man, hiss and scream in anger, but he can’t. His muscles twitch and he can’t stay still, but his face remains entirely passive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man disappears. There are no enemies left. The Dark doesn’t know what to do now. Everything inside is quiet, and some distant part of him feels as though that is strange, like there should be someone inside to feel, to talk to. Where were they?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl with the red hair speaks. He still doesn’t understand, but it feels nice. He leans forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man with the silver hair speaks too. That also feels nice. He’s a creature of instinct, he reaches out with still sharp claws and pulls him closer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It feels nice, so he keeps them close. It’s all so very simple to him right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He keeps them close, and that’s all that matters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t try your luck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luxord turns from where he watches the proceedings far below to face Ienzo. He has his book out, and a determined look gracing his features. He tilts his head in a shallow bow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How unexpected a player to re-emerge into the game. Hello, Zexion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No games today.” Ienzo warns. “We’re here to stop Xemnas.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Indeed.” Luxord seems unbothered, leaning against the wall. “It seems this particular game is all but complete, and a good player knows when to fold. Where will you go, I wonder, once the session is finished and the rewards doled out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None of your business.” Ienzo bites out. Luxord shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fair enough. I shall take my leave then. Goodbye, Zexion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he’s gone, into a portal. Zexion watches until even the last wispy traces of it are gone, and then he turns away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you?” He hisses to the empty air. “I know you’re here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sora?” Kairi crouches to be at eye level with his hunched posture. “What’s happening?” He voice warbles in fear. The light in her chest writhes, begging to be let loose upon the dark, but she keeps it chained. She doesn’t know if it will simply push the dark back… or just kill him outright at this point. It’s not like last night, where the dark had crawled slowly across him, and she’d pushed it back. There was no light now, not that she could sense, just the writhing, emotional darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roxas and Xion had both vanished when Sora had screamed, a haunting sound she’s sure she’ll hear in her nightmares. She hopes desperately that they’re all okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riku tentatively reaches out one hand, like he wants to brush Sora’s cheek, but he pauses. Like a cat though Sora leans into it, golden glowing eyes closing in bliss at the touch. Riku tries to keep the tremble in his hands from showing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?!” Donald squawks, repeating Kairi’s question. “Where are his heartmates?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he gonna be okay?” Goofy worries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He looks… Like he’s been overtaken by Darkness.” Mickey chews on one lip, fists clenching. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s still him, right?” Haru argues. “Don’t act like he’s not here, he’s just.. A little different, that’s all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haru’s right.” Riku says, still looking down at Sora’s cheek cupped in his hand. “He still knows we’re friendly, he’s still affectionate. He’s just out of balance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kairi clenches one fist to her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Balance?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seems all my plans have come to naught. How disappointing.” A new voice rings out, and Kairi whirls, recognizing the baritone immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DiZ.” She hisses as the red robed man steps into the light. He frowns at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess. If you are all quite done throwing wrenches into my carefully laid plans, I would like to retrieve what’s mine.” He has some kind of machine at his side, that all their attention is drawn to as he speaks. Riku nudges Sora behind him, and several others crowd between Sora and DiZ.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have anything of yours.” Kairi says, no argument to be brooked in her tone. “Now leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On the contrary.” DiZ laughs. “I hid my research in that boy in the hopes it might be safe while he carried out my revenge, but I was wrong. I need it back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In Sora?” Donald squints. “Why would you do that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>DiZ glares.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is none of your concern. Give him to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Kairi says at the same time that Riku snorts “Absolutely not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well-” DiZ makes a single move, but is stopped cold by a half dozen weapons pointed directly at him. He casts his eye across them, one by one, and does the math in his head. “Fine then. Let yourselves rot in this bed you’ve made.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns and walks away, and Kairi finally relaxes. What a horrible person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turns back to Riku and Sora, the former of which is still standing protectively over Sora, who aside getting even more twitchy when things got tense, doesn’t appear to understand any of what just happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In truth, neither does anyone else really. Kairi looks up at Riku, who seems to understand what she’s thinking perfectly.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span> research?</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>yup that sure was some stuff that happened.</p><p>edit: caved to the slightest bit of peer pressure and drew a scene<br/>https://twitter.com/shyrstyne/status/1258625233415593984</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Rabbits Foot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>And things draw to a close.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i honestly debated splitting this chapter into two, or at least putting the epilogue on it's own, but i just... couldn't bring myself to do it. the epilogue just wasn't quite long enough and there was no good place to split it outside of that. so this remains one of my longest chapters so far. enjoy~</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sora flits from corner to corner of each room they walk through, investigating and clearly curious. It’s strange, the way he moves about, trailing darkness like a cape behind him, but the curiosity is all Sora. Riku and Kairi try to keep him close at first, but quickly realise that trying to trap him was like trying to tame a wild creature- difficult at best, and a fool's errand at worst.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So they let him flit, calling him back if they find him straying too far. They’ve been ambushed by small groups of nobodies a couple more times since Sora’s transformation, but nothing of any true consequence. Nearly all had been dispatched by sharp claws before anyone else even had the chance to get involved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Riku, I’m worried. Maybe I should try….” Kairi trails off. It was a risk to use her light, especially now that Sora had been completely overtaken, but there still had been no signs of a reversal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet.” He shakes his head. “I don’t want to risk it until we don’t have any other choice. We don’t know what happened to Vanitas or the others either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s different, from when he was a heartless. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.” Kairi murmurs. Riku winces, remembering all too well how he’d been manipulated into putting Sora into position for that to happen. “He’s still himself, at least moreso, but at the same time..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll figure it out.” Riku takes one hand in his, stroking a thumb across the back of her hand in reassurance. “He’ll be okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s grateful for it, even if she’s half sure he doesn’t believe it himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora appears as if out of nowhere, butting his head against their clasped hands and worming his way between them. Kairi and Riku both giggle at the display of possessiveness over both of them. Riku ruffles Sora’s dark-stained hair, and Kairi puts hers across the back of his neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Break here.” Haru calls, and Riku nods. They’ve found themselves in a defensible spot, and they have been going for a few hours at this point- there’s a light spot in the corner too, bonus! Maybe they’ll be able to figure out how to turn Sora back in these few spare minutes while they rest and restock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora moves off, apparently content with the affection he’s been given, loping off toward Donald and Goofy, hovering over their shoulders as they go through packs and reorganize to best suit the coming battles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heyo, Sora.” Goofy greets him as he always does. Donald says nothing, though he seems like he wants to for a moment, but then it passes, and he returns his attention to the packs with a melancholy expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y’know, I don’t rightly understand all this darkness stuff.” Goofy talks as Sora crouches, inspecting the laid out supplies without touching them. “Been fightin’ it a long time, but that’s only been the darkness that’s attai- atee- attacked people.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donald looks up at Goofy, and Goofy gives him a sad smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“See, I’d heard that there Darkness was more complimicated than that, but up till I met you at least that was the only kind I ever saw.” He sighs. “Gosh, that was awkward, huh? Don’t think I ever told ya how much I didn’t trust yer Vanitas at first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We learned.” Donald says. He stuffs a few more ethers into his belt. They’re running low now. Maybe if they’re lucky they’ll run into a moogle somewhere in here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yup.” Goofy continues. “But it was hard. The darkness took a lot of things from a lot of people. I’m a protector, y’know?” Goofy reaches down and picks up the pretty stone Sora had obviously been eyeing and hands it to him. Sora had been carrying that gem since Twilight Town, holding onto it for Roxas. Sora’s expression still doesn’t change, but he seems focused on the little bauble, rolling it between his claws and watching it shine.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like my Maddie.” Goofy sighs. He picks up his knight’s shield, likely with the intent to inspect it for new dents or scrapes, but he finds himself caught looking at his blurred reflection. He doesn’t see how Sora looks up at him, as if sensing the change in his voice, but Donald does.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was hard, raisin’ Max alone after that.” He rubs his thumb across a little symbol scratched into the top of his shield, as if scratched there by a child. “But I did my best. He grew up into an amazing young man.” His voice sings with pride.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looks over at Sora, who for the first time since his transformation has gone completely still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Lea won’t get to see his kids grow up the way I did mine.” He puts the shield down. “I’m sure he wishes he coulda. At least.. he’s with someone he loves.” He finishes, and gives Donald a grateful smile when he reaches out to touch Goofy’s knee. Donald knew all this of course, he’d been there for most of it, but it was rare for Goofy to talk so candidly about his family.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a sniff, and then another, and they look over to Sora just in time to see his face break. Tears drip from his eyes as the dark washes away, wafting away from his skin like a particularly clingy vapour. He sobs brokenly, hunching over and clenching the little blue bauble to his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sora!” Riku and Kairi notice immediately, running over, and soon Sora finds himself in the middle of the loosest, messiest group hug ever as he cries. He can still feel the grief- both his own and the others within him, but it’s softer now, just slightly. Just enough to deal with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could work with that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>DiZ does not immediately portal away. He may be thwarted for now but he’s determined to get his research back somehow. He just needs to come up with a plan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s considering something a touch more subtle- while the group is sleeping perhaps, that he hears approaching footsteps. The steps are pointed and deliberate, and in a wide, bare hallway such as this he knows he has already been seen, so he turns to see who has accosted him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s you.” He murmurs. Zexion glares back at him through thick bangs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, Ansem.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was told you had perished in the Castle. Tell me, have you regained yourself?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t die, but I haven’t been as empty as you believe we are for a long time. Perhaps even longer than I know. What do you have to say for yourself?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Say?” DiZ scoffs. “I have nothing to say. What are you expecting?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“An explanation.” The younger man says frankly. “Something to tell me why what happened back then was acceptable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was not.” DiZ acknowledges. “It is why I am here now, attempting to fetch my own revenge for the wrongs wrought.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You accept it was wrong but you have learned nothing!” Zexion roars, an uncommon show of emotion. DiZ tilts his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion remains still for a long moment before he answers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought I wanted answers. Why you left me, why you let Xehanort steal what little I had left, including my very future. Why you listened to any of it.” He pauses, taking a deep breath. “But I held back, something in me was afraid. Afraid of what you might say. And now? Now that I’m here.. I don’t care. For once, my curiosity and my need for answers take a back seat. I suppose I am here for revenge too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion’s book appears in his hands, the pages flipping in an unfelt wind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to kill you now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>DiZ staggers back, feeling the hate in Zexion’s words as clear as day and knowing he has no battle prowess to speak of to fight back. His breath comes in stutters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ienzo, please-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“DON’T-” Zexion shouts, teeth bared. “-CALL ME THAT. You</span>
  <em>
    <span> lost</span>
  </em>
  <span> that right! Lost it along with everyone else when Xehanort murdered us all for his games! I was a child, father! A </span>
  <em>
    <span>child!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were.” A new voice speaks, and both of them look over to see a new portal open, and a familiar man steps out. “And it is a pox on all of us who should have known better and allowed it to happen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even.” DiZ murmurs. Even looks at him for a long moment, something undefinable passing between them, before turning to Zexion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re alive.” Zexion whispers. He seems unaware of the tears he’s shed in his rage, and that he continues to shed still. “I- I suspected you would, based on my theory, but…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, Zexion.” Even greets, formal in the way that he believes the situation dictates. “Yes, I’m alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion purses his lips and then straightens, unconsciously mimicking his longtime mentor's posture.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you know?” He asks. “Did you suspect our hearts would regrow on their own?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Even admits, and only the barest blink is the indication that it was news to him even now. “I believed what we were told without question, too focused on other goals, other research. A glaring and unfortunate oversight on my part.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see.” Zexion replies. He looks back over at DiZ and his glare returns. “Why should I spare him? He doesn’t even believe I’m a person.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were once a person.” DiZ says, digging his own grave ever deeper. “If Even can return, perhaps you can too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Zexion growls. “I have worked hard to be who I am, growing up in the Organization, to </span>
  <em>
    <span>survive.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> return, and you don’t get to erase those experiences from me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even steps forward and reaches out, laying a hand against Zexion’s shoulder. It startles him at first; it had been so long since Vexen had shown such familiarity. He aches at the touch, suddenly wanting nothing more than to lean into it like the child DiZ still sees him as.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We were wrong.” Even says. “Terribly, unforgivably wrong. I’m sorry, Ienzo, for what was done to you. And.. I’m sorry, Zexion, for missing everything that was directly under my nose.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ienzo feels his throat close, but he tries to force the emotions back. He glances back at DiZ once more.</span>
</p>
<p>"He's still lost. He may yet still find his way back." Even says, without prompting. Zexion's scowl indicates how little he believes that, but his gaze returns to Even.</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did you know I was here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That boy told me. The one from the, ah. Restoration Conglomerate, or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zexion nods. He doesn’t bother correcting Even on the name. He's tired now, all the rage from before leaving him empty in a familiar way he doesn't much care for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to go home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even pulls back, and for a moment Ienzo misses the contact, but it’s only so that Even may gesture for Ienzo to lead the way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ienzo glances back to DiZ, who still stands, something unreadable in his features, what little can be seen beneath red bandages, and then he looks back at Even with a nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zexion!” DiZ calls, something desperate in his voice. “Do not do this! You will never truly be yourself until you are recompleted!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They leave without another word, and DiZ is left in the Castle That Never Was alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’ve reached the peak. Xemnas waits at the top, and this is their last point of rest before they confront him. It’s an ominous looking room, filled with red doors that look like graves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’re tired, they’re sore, and no amount of potions can take away the bone deep exhaustion they all feel physically and emotionally. Sora is half tempted to fall asleep right then and there against a glowing blue stand that appears to be broken.</span>
</p>
<p><em><span>“That one’s mine.”</span></em><span> Roxas whispers from deep inside Sora’s heart. He sounds so tired. Him and Xion are both taking Lea’s loss hard.</span> <span>The wave of grief had nearly staggered him as he’d walked past the eerie red marker bearing a pair of chakrams. </span><em><span>“See the.. The keyblades?”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Sora murmurs, he’d seen oathkeeper and oblivion when he’d sat down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It was just Kingdom Key before.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xion says. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I never had one. I wonder when Xemnas changed it.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I wonder </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>why</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Roxas answers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s not like it mattered, we were just pawns to him, and a keyblade is a keyblade.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hm.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xion hums. She sounds on the verge of falling asleep. Sora wonders what it’s like, to sleep inside someone else's heart. He’s never done it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Maybe he paid more attention than we thought.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora can feel Roxas disagrees, but he doesn’t say anything. It’s not worth the energy to argue something none of them feel particularly strong about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s too bad it’s broken.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Roxas says as Sora runs a finger across the scorch marks lining the edges. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I didn’t have a lot of stuff, but it would have been nice to see my room again.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Me too.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xion says. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I wonder what happened to mine, after no one remembered me.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Probably got cleared by the dusks.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Roxas says regretfully. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You know how they are about clutter.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Probably.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xion sighs. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I hope that one.. The one who gave me flowers, is okay.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora smiles at the optimism. It’s soothing, after the emotional turmoil of the day so far. The grief still weighs heavy on all of them, but this moment of normalcy was desperately needed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sora?” Riku approaches. “We’re getting ready to go. You up for it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Always.” Sora nods, his enthusiasm only partly falsified. Only a little bit further to go and then…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then hopefully they can all go home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trek outside is short and they emerge onto a wide dais. Xemnas stands on the far side, back turned to them, clearly waiting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And so you have arrived.” He intones. “To face your final oblivion. Kingdom Hearts is nearly complete, what hope do you have?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a false Kingdom.” Sora says. “And it’s not done yet. Face it Xemnas, against all of us? You’ve lost.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You who are exhausted from your long journey here? I do not believe it so hopeless as that.” Xemnas responds, each word enunciated slowly and with precision. Sora narrows his eyes, and something in his heart reacts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Xemnas… Why are you doing this? Is it really all just for Kingdom Hearts, to have a heart again? You don’t need it for that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xemnas lowers raised arms, but he doesn’t appear to have anything to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t you tired?” Sora continues. “All your friends are gone, your plan has failed, just…. Stop.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I cannot stop.” Xemnas says, and Sora wonders why he believes that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can.” Riku says. “The other pieces of yourself, they’re all here. You don’t need Kingdom Hearts. You never did. All you have to do is let them in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xemnas levels them all with a long, slow look, and Sora sees the bone deep exhaustion for what it is. It feels familiar.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For so long I have worked to another's purpose.” He says. “One I did not truly understand myself, hoping one day I would. I am no closer now than I was then.” He looks up, meeting Riku directly in the eyes. “I</span>
  <em>
    <span> am</span>
  </em>
  <span> tired. My search for answers, for completion, has brought me nothing but pain.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sometimes that’s how life is.” Sora says. “It hurts. We keep going.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xemnas smiles, and it seems self deprecating somehow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How noble.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He strides forward, walking right into Riku…. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And vanishes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora reaches out, worried, but after a moment of being stunned, Riku shakes his head and gives Sora a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did he do?!” Mickey asks, concerned by the man's possible motives.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is he…?” Sora isn’t sure how to word his question, but Riku seems to understand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s there, but.. I think he’s asleep, like Ansem.” And that seems to be all that he wants to say on the matter. Sora doesn’t like it, but he understands. It’s a delicate, tumultuous subject for Riku. He wonders how Terra feels about this too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wonder if they plan to just.. Stay like that, forever.” Kairi wonders. The thought makes her sad for some reason, even if Ansem’s face haunts her nightmares.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” Riku answers. “Maybe. They don’t feel like they have any kind of plans. Terra and I will keep an eye on them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gosh, I think I have even more questions than I did before.” Mickey rubs his chin. “Another's purpose? Did he mean….?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can we talk about it later?” Kairi shakes her head. “I want </span>
  <em>
    <span>out</span>
  </em>
  <span> of this castle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Agreed.” Haru nods. “Let’s get out of here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opens a portal, and never before have many of them felt so relieved to see those ominous swirls of darkness. Perhaps not advisable, but all of them are tired enough that the risk seems worth it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking the long way home just feels too long right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donald, Goofy and Mickey head through one by one. Kairi is about to follow them when a strange clank sounds from the stairwell behind the group.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora and Riku turn, and Sora frowns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll not escape from me again.” DiZ says. “Everything has gone wrong and it is </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> fault.” The machine at his side trembles, whatever it’s charging clearly bad news.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing? Stop!” Riku demands. DiZ merely scoffs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” He says. Riku senses what he’s about to do, leaping at him with a shout, Guardian Terra appearing at his back, but it’s too late. The thing explodes, throwing him back, along with everyone else. Vanitas forms in the air,  grasping for both her and Sora, but misses, not quite reacting fast enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Haru is thrown through his own portal, having been right next to it, but Kairi is only just far enough to miss it as it closes, the shaking ground destabilizing the wavering darkness. She hits the ground hard, and for a moment she wonders if she’s gone deaf. She can’t tell if she’s the one shaking or if the ground below her is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She feels a hand tug her up, and blearily see’s Riku hauling her to her feet. The world tilts dangerously, and that’s when she realises it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> in fact the world shaking beneath her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vanitas is leaning over Sora as they both move over to him, unsteady as the ground trembles. Riku bends down to pick up Sora too, who loll’s unresponsive in his grasp for a moment before his eyes blink open. He’s clearly out of it, and Kairi isn’t much better. They tumble sideways as the castle starts to crumble around them, great chunks falling away, destabilized from the magical explosion from DiZ’s device.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>DiZ himself is nowhere to be seen. Kairi finds herself not all that worried about him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The castle rumbles, falling to pieces around them, and then they’re falling in earnest as the ground disappears beneath their feet. The dark beneath the castle seems all the more empty and ominous now that they’re rapidly falling towards it. How far is the ground, she wonders, would they even see it coming?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Riku flips mid-air, and she reaches for him. She’s still dazed, but it’s enough he can pull her close while still reaching for Sora, who had slipped from his grasp. Sora falls limply, his eyes blinking against the wind but not really comprehending what’s happening. Vanitas has him in hand, trying to pull him up, but there’s nowhere to go and little he can do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a brief moment it seems like Riku can’t close the distance, but then he manages to snag Vanitas’ hand, who passes Sora to him without hesitation, and a moment later Riku has both Sora and Kairi securely in his arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s a relief, but they’re still falling. Ventus appears next to Vanitas, trying in vain to pull them up, lessen their descent, but despite how they float they don’t fly, and there’s only so much they can do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Riku!” Kairi shouts over the rushing wind. He can’t spare a moment, reaching out with vain hope with darkness at his fingertips. He opens a portal in desperation, and only a moment later they fall through.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They tumble ungracefully, disoriented from the sudden shift in horizon, but the ground is soft and the lack of a hard stop appears to have helped. They’re scraped up and hurt, but alive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kairi coughs, spitting out sand as she sits up. Vanitas helps her up, and though she’s still dizzy (are their potions okay? She might have a concussion) she can see Ventus leaning over Sora and Riku, who is just beginning to stir.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stumbles over to them with Vanitas’ help, kneeling next to Riku as he sits up. He lists dangerously, and she moves to let him lean on her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sora.” Riku gasps. “Sora, wake up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora mumbles something indistinct, but his eyes remain closed. Whatever awareness he’d kept after the explosion had been knocked out of him by the fall. Kairi fishes in her pockets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two potions and- oh! An elixir! She sighs with a powerful relief, thank goodness for shatter proof bottles. She pulls them all out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Riku,” She says, and she doesn’t have to finish, lifting Sora up so she can pour the elixir gently into his mouth. A moment later his eyes blink open, and he looks up at them both.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ow.” He says, and they laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was getting worried.” Riku says. “Concussions can get weird with healing stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still feel a little weird.” Sora admits. “But better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll keep an eye on it.” Kairi says, and stows the remaining two potions. She doesn’t know what Sora and Riku have on them, but if Sora was still hurt she wanted to save them just in case. Her own dizziness and scrapes could be ignored.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kairi.” Riku warns as he watches her put them away. “Take one. We’ll save the other one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shakes her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I saw you hit the ledge.” Riku says, and she wonders how, with how bright that explosion had been. “Take it.” When it seems like she might refuse, Vanitas practically shoves the potion back into her hand, and she decides it’s not worth the energy to fight it. Vanitas vanishes as soon as he senses her acquiescence, and Ventus follows after with his shoulders shaking in a laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about you?” She asks as she sips at it. He shrugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Definitely sore, but unlike you two I don’t have any head trauma. I’ll live.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are we?” Sora asks, casting his gaze around, and both Riku and Kairi seem to notice where they are for the first time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The realm of darkness.” Riku murmurs. Kairi purses her lips. It feels…. Strange. Like she doesn’t belong here, intrinsically, but it doesn’t hurt her. She pulls out her phone; no service. Some tapping at it finds that neither Data Sora or Data Riku appear to be on them. She’s relieved, she’d hate to have trapped them here too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Riku seems fine, his time here before on top of wearing Ansem’s form means he seems just as comfortable in the darkness as her, if not moreso. They both glance at Sora, who looks at them confused for a moment before pouting, offended.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine, I can handle a little darkness.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Riku smiles one of his soft, indulgent smiles that he seems to save just for Sora.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know. We just worry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kairi doesn’t bother pointing out that they </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>know. They don’t even know what had happened to Sora only hours earlier, coated in Darkness like he had been. She’s worried it will happen again, surrounded by omnipresent dark like this, and this time they won’t be able to bring him out of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They listen to the waves crash upon the shores nearby, and without speaking they move down to the beach, dipping their toes into the tepid water.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite their worries, it’s… peaceful. After the awful, stressful day they’ve had, it’s kind of nice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Riku tries to portal them home, but the dark only seems to pull to more dark, spitting them out onto another similar section of beach again and again and again. Eventually they have to admit they’re stuck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not so bad here.” Kairi says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It could be worse.” Riku agrees. “It’s too bad, I know you wanted to go home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’d rather be here with you, than home without you.” Sora says, leaning into Rikus side. Kairi nods, and does the same on his other side. She feels him tremble slightly beneath them, and she can tell he’s trying so hard to repress whatever thing he’s feeling right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The waves continue to lap gently at their feet, the only sound in this empty place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Riku huffs a laugh. Sora peers up at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s so funny?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just…” Riku pauses. “I was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>jealous.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It was stupid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No argument here.” Kairi teases, though her expression is soft. “But then.. We were pretty stupid too. I’m sorry, Riku.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He blinks, taken aback.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What for?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I was a little jealous too. You and Sora always had such a strong bond, long before I ever showed up. I felt like I always had to try twice as hard just to keep up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At least you didn’t try to envelop entire worlds in darkness.” He snorts. Sora looks between them, frowning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.. But I still wasn’t very kind, trying to keep things to myself that didn’t belong to me at all. Trying to exclude you. It really just made things worse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess we were both a couple of dumb kids.” Riku chuckles, and she grins back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Three dumb kids.” Sora huffs, displeased at being left out. “You think I wasn’t jealous too? I wanted…” He pauses, like he’s afraid of what he might say. “I wanted to be like you, like both of you, so badly. Strong and kind and confident… All I wanted was the three of us to be together, always, I’d have gone along with just about anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What, like putting together a dumb raft and running away from home?” Riku nudges him, and Sora laughs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, like putting together a raft and running away from home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well.” Kairi hugs her knees. “We are all together now, right? I’d say there are worse places to be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Riku nods, one of those sincere smiles that Sora adores flitting across his face, even if the features were different. “This is good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emotions overflow in Sora’s chest like an overfull cup of water. He pats his cheeks and then has a thought, reaching into a back pocket and pulling out a rumpled packet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a little busted but-” He speaks as he unwraps it, pulling out a piece still coated in cinnamon. “Should still taste good. Gingerbread?” He holds the piece out to Riku who looks like he can’t decide if he should laugh or cry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s no Christmas.” Kairi says. “But we still wanted to share it with you, when it was.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure.” He accepts, his smile soft and eyes misty. “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>None of them know how long they stay there. They take turns sleeping, each exhausted from the long journey. They talk. They talk some more. They even splash water at each other like they’re kids again at one point, laughing and giggling in the dark. Every time, they find themselves returning to those shores, staring over the dark horizon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora and Kairi are asleep, each leaning against Riku’s sides. Sora snores softly and Kairi mutters indistinct nonsense in her sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stares across the empty waters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora especially has been sleeping more and more. Riku worries he’s being affected by this place, that it might somehow be harming him… or maybe he’s just tired. It was a long road to get here after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The air shifts, and he expects Vanitas to form, the only one truly comfortable in the Dark, but instead it’s a form of blue and white that appears in the air before him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Roxas.” He greets. One fist clenches. He’s thought so much about what he wanted to say to the people he wronged, but like always the words stick in his throat and he doesn’t know where to start. “I…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roxas waits, head tilting just slightly, and though he has no expression Riku feels like he can feel the other boys glare anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Riku finally manages. As good a place to start as any. “I’m sorry for what I had to do, that there wasn’t a way to let all of you live.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roxas doesn’t answer right away. Riku wonders if Ven and Van have been teaching the other two their hand signs. He hopes so. Whatever Roxas’ response, bad or worse, he just wants to know where he stands. He doesn’t blame Roxas either way- the boy could hate him the rest of his life and he would be well within his right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roxas shoulders move as if with a sigh, and then he brings up a fist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Riku flinches but he doesn’t move aside to instinctively bring his arms over Sora and Kairi to protect them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the blow he expects doesn’t come, he blinks eyes open in confusion. Kairi stirs, disturbed by the movement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roxas is still floating there, fist extended, but it’s clearly not one meant for fighting. In fact he looks almost nervous and confused. It almost looks like…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A fist bump?” He asks, baffled. Roxas rolls his head in annoyance. His fist is still raised and he shakes it a little. The meaning is clear;</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘You gonna do this or not?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Riku stares at it, and wonders just what he did to deserve this… not quite forgiveness, but certainly a truce.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora, still dead asleep, droops forward a little, stopped only as Riku catches him. Kairi appears to have gone back to sleep, but he knows she’s faking it, trying to give them privacy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looks back up at Roxas, who’s still waiting, but clearly growing more awkward by the second.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He raises one fist, and taps it against Roxas’ lightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roxas nods, reaches down to ruffle Sora’s hair, and then disappears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, Riku thinks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t about Riku at all. He finds he doesn’t mind though, Sora always did have a special way about him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora is napping, drifting in and out of consciousness when something taps at his foot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s a bottle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Kairi says, a laugh in her tone, head still resting against Riku’s bicep. He quirks his head at her but she just waves him off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Open it.” Is all she says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thinking of you, wherever you are….</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The protecting light that guides them home is warm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Epilogue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Riku stumbles his way to shore, legs shorter than he’s used to, everything off like his body isn’t what he expected.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora hugs him in delight, and both he and Kairi help him home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’ll get used to having his own body again soon enough, but he drags them up short as they near the sandy beach, and they stand half submerged in the water as he stares at the land ahead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Riku?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-” His voice breaks. “I destroyed this place, I don’t deserve to…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You do.” Sora tugs him forward. “We fixed it, together, didn’t we?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you can apologize to everyone personally later if you want.” Kairi adds. “But you’re gonna get some strange looks since no one really remembers it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s shouting, and he sees a group come running around the trees, waving and pointing at them. Donald, Mickey, Goofy, Haru and… Oh. Sora’s mom’s are there too. They all look so excited and relieved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Terra’s heart urges him forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He steps onto dry land.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey moms?” Lia and Kaze look up to Sora, standing in the doorway. He’s only been home a day or two, and he seems so much older than he did when he left. It hurts both their hearts that they’ve missed so much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kaze pats the space on the couch between them, and he takes it, though he fidgets nervously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you ready to tell us what happened?” Kaze asks, always the more blunt of the two. They’d asked, of course, but Sora hadn’t been ready yet. Apparently the last couple years had been… complicated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He nods. “But first.. There’s some people I want you to meet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lia blinks, glancing up at Kaze, who raises her eyebrows, curious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, sweetheart.” Kaze says. Sora takes a deep breath, and two ghosts form in front of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But not the ghosts they expect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Moms, these are Roxas and Xion. Guys, these are my moms, Kaze and Aurelia.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pink one waves nervously, and the white one has the sort of limb locked posture that they both recognize as someone who is terrified but trying not to show it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither of them have any idea what happened, but their hearts melt at the sight. Lia holds out a hand to the white one (Roxas was it?) in greeting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s nice to meet you.” She says, and is pleased to see Roxas relax just a little as her hand is accepted with a small shake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re about my age.” Sora says. Xion makes a so-so gesture and Roxas rubs the back of his head awkwardly. “Okay, well.. Kind of. It’s complicated. I guess they’re kind of like my siblings.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How <em>does</em> this keep happening to you, love?” Kaze is baffled, and Lia can’t help but agree. Sora takes a deep breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s.. a long story, see there was this storm…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora waits on the tree. It’s nice to be home again, but his journey isn’t over. There’s still too much to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>People to save.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you gonna go?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sora turns, and Riku walks up, gummiphone in hand, leaning against the tree. He’s a little shorter than he was as Ansem, and it feels strange that Sora had gotten used to that so quickly. Still, he thinks, he’s glad Riku returned to looking like himself, if only because he knows how much happier Riku is not to be wearing that form.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Sora nods, thinking of the message on his own phone, sitting in his back pocket. No one in it right now, both the Data’s are with Kairi at the moment. “It shouldn’t take long, and the power of waking might help us when we find Ven’s body.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Makes sense.” Riku nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You?” Sora asks, and Riku hums.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think.. I might try. I don’t know if I’m worthy, but if you’re trying, I think I should too. I don’t know what to do about Xemnas and Ansem, but it doesn’t feel right to just leave them there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Sora grins. “We’ll be keyblade masters together!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you’ve decided?” A new voice speaks, and Sora turns on the trunk to face it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kairi!” He calls with a grin. “Yeah. We’re gonna take the mark. It might help us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wish I could join you.” She says sadly. Riku frowns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll be right there for us as moral support. That’s important too, you know.” Riku says, and Sora nods seriously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Absolutely! And if it takes long, I’m sure Master Yen Sid or the fairies would love to give you your own training and pointers!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“True enough.” She smiles. “Well, what are we waiting for? When are we leaving?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>and that's a wrap! i may or may not take next week off, even though DDD is actually complete, just to give myself a little more wiggle room for 3. idk though, i also dont want to wait ;-;</p>
<p>i spent all afternoon yesterday plotting out 3. it might be another kh2 situation, the basic Big Plot Points outline is already at 4 pages, and that's not at all accounting for the little character moments that are what imo bring a fic to life. should i put it to a vote? start uploading ddd right away (five chapters total) or take a week off just to give myself a liiiitle more wiggle room to work on 3?</p>
<p>either way thank you for sticking with me this far!!! ive really appreciated everyone who's enjoyed this little au with me, some of your comments and interactions have been what got me through the day. And to every silent reader (like myself, im terrible about commenting, thanks anxiety) i appreciate you too. thank you all so much, and i'll see you in the next part!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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